•    ''A    A"N  I 


■ 


X 


If 


THE  F0KE3T  EXILES. 


THE  FOREST  EXILES; 


OK,  TBS 


PERILS  OF  A  PERUVIAN  FAMILY  AMID 
THE  WILDS  OF  THE  AMAZON. 


BT 


CAPTAIN   MAYNE   REID, 

Author  of  " The  Boy  Hunters,"  "The  Yovsa  Votaoeuki 
"  The  Desert  Home,"  etc. 


,  TRUTH;  .TTfZSLVS  1LLUS TiJATlONS. 


BOSTON: 
TICKNOR      AND      FIELDS. 

M  DCCC  LXVIII. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1854,  by 

TICKNOR  AND  FIELDS, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts 


'  «     *    t  «  l    c 


18  tf 


CONTENTS. 


OHAFTKB  **•■ 

L    THE  BIGGEST  WOOD  IN  THE  WOELD,     .       .  7 

IL    THE  REFUGEES, * 

III.  THE  POISON  TREES,            24 

IV.  THE  SUPPER  OF  GUAPO,      .....  32 
V.    THE  PUNA,       .  38 

VI.    THE  WILD  BULL  OF  THE  PUNA,     ...  46 

VIL    THE  "VAQUERO," 53 

VTU.    LAMAS,   ALPACOS,    VICUNAS,   AND    GUANA- 
COS,       & 

IX.    A  VICUNA  HUNT,  .       .                ....  66 

X    CAPTURING  A  CONDOR,         .                      .       .  73 

XL    THE  PERILS  OF  A  PERUVIAN  ROAD,       .       .  77 

XIL    ENCOUNTER  UPON  A  CLIFF,       .       .  84 

XIII.  THE  LONE  CROSS  IN  THE  FOREST,  .  90 

XIV.  THE  DESERTED  MISSION, 99 

XV.    THE  GUACO  AND  THE  CORAL  SNAKE,     .       .  104 

XVL    THE  PALM  WOODS 119 

XVII.    A  HOUSE  OF  PALMS, 118 

XVUL    TRACKING  THE  TAPIR,           ....  124 

XIX    THE  POISONED  ARROWS,         ....  134 

XX.    THE  MILK  TREE,         ....               .       .  145 

XXI.    THE  CANNIBAL  FISH  AND  THE  GYMNOTUS,  152 

XXIL    THE  CINCHONA  TREES, 160 

ivrt.2543       (t) 


6  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  TAQ* 

XXIIL  A  PAIR  OF  SLOW  GOERS, 166 

XXIV.  THE  BARK   HUNTERS, 179 

XXV.  THE  PUMA  AND  THE  GREAT  ANT  BEAR,  178 

XXVI.  ATTACK  OF  THE  WHITE  ANTS,    ...  186 

XXVIL  THE  ANT  LION, 192 

XXVHI.  THE  TATOU-POYOU  AND  THE  DEER  CAR- 
CASS,       200 

XXIX.  AN  ARMADILLO  HUNT,        ...  205 

XXX.  THE  OCELOT, 211 

XXXI.  A  FAMILY  OF  JAGUARS, 221 

XXXII.  THE  RAFT, 229 

XXXIII.  THE  GUARDIAN  BROTHER,        ....  237 

XXXIV.  THE  VAMPIRE, 243 

XXXV.  THE  MARIMONDAS, 251 

XXXVI.  THE  MONKEY  MOTHER,   ...        .        .        .  262 

XXXVII.  AN  UNEXPECTED   GUEST,            ....  268 

XXXVIII.  THE  CROCODILE  AND  CAPIVARAS,  .        .  275 

XXXIX.  FIGHT  OF  THE  JAGUAR  AND  CROCODILE,  281 

XL.  ADVENTURE  WITH  AN  ANACONDA,    .  287 

XLI.  A  BATCH  OF  CURIOUS  TREES,     .       .  295 

XLII.  THE  FOREST  FESTIVAL, 302 

XLHL  ACRES   OF  EGGS, 310 

XLIV.  A   FIGHT   BETWEEN   TWO    VERY     SCALY 

CREATURES, 318 

XLV.  A  PAIR  OF  VALIANT  VULTURES,      .       .  326 

XLVL  THE  «GAPO," 332 

XLVII.  THE  ARAGUATOES, 337 

XL VIII  BRIDGING  AN  IGARIPE, 343 

TT/TY.  THE  MANATI, 348 

L,  THE  CLOSING   CHAPTER,     ....  356 


THE  FOREST  EXILES. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  BIGGEST  WOOD  IN  THE  WORLD. 

Boy  reader,  I  am  told  that  you  are  not  tired  of  my 
company.     Is  this  true  ? 

"  Quite  true,  dear  captain —  quite  true." 

That  is  your  reply.  You  speak  sincerely  ?  I  be- 
lieve you  do. 

In  return,  believe  me  when  I  tell  you  I  am  not 
tired  of  yours  ;  and  the  best  proof  I  can  give  is, 
that  I  have  come  once  more  to  seek  you.  I  have 
come  to  solicit  the  pleasure  of  your  company,  not  to 
an  evening  party,  nor  to  a  ball,  nor  to  the  Grand 
Opera,  nor  to  the  Crystal  Palace,  nor  yet  to  the  Zo- 
ological Gardens  of  Regent's  Park  —  no,  but  to  the 
great  zoological  garden  of  Nature.  I  have  come  to 
ask  you  to  accompany  me  on  another  "campaign" 
—  another  "  grand  journey  "  through  the  fields  of 
science  and  adventure.     Will  you  go  ? 

"  Most  willingly,  with  you,  dear  captain,  any 
where." 

Come  with  me,  then. 

(7) 


8  THE    BIGGEST    WOOD    IN    THE    T\  ORLD. 

Again  we  turn  our  faces  westward  ;  again  we 
cross  the  blue  and  billowy  Atlantic  ;  again  we  seek 
the  shores  of  the  noble  continent  of  America. 

u  What !  to  America  again  ?  " 

Ha  !  that  is  a  large  continent,  and  you  need  not 
fear  tbat  "I  am ',  going ';tc  take  you  over  old  ground. 
No,  fear  not  that.  New' scenes  await  us  —  a  new 
fixi.ma,  a  &s$»flor&t — I  might  almost  say  a  new  earth 
and  a  new  sky. 

You  shall  have  variety,  I  promise  you  —  a  perfect 
contrast  to  the  scenes  of  our  last  journey. 

Then,  you  remember,  we  turned  our  faces  to  the 
cold  and  icy  north  ;  now  our  path  lies  through  the 
hot  and  sunny  south.  Then  we  lived  in  a  log  hut, 
and  closed  every  cranny  to  keep  out  the  cold  ;  now, 
:in  our  cottage  of  palms  and  cane,  we  shall  be  but 
too  glad  to  let  the  breeze  play  through  the  open  walls. 
Then  we  wrapped  our  bodies  in  thick  furs ;  now  we 
shall  be  content  with  the  lightest  garments.  Then 
we  were  bitten  by  the  frost ;  now  we  shall  be  bitten 
by  sand  flies,  and  mosquitoes,  and  bats,  and  snakes, 
and  scorpions^  and  spiders,  and  stung  by  wasps,  and 
centipedes,  and  great  red  ants.  Trust  me,  you  shall 
have  a  change. 

Perhaps  you  do  not  contemplate  such  a  change 
with  any  very  lively  feelings  of  pleasure.  Come, 
do  not  be  alarmed  at  the  snakes,  and  scorpions,  and 
centipedes.  We  shall  find  a  cure  for  every  bite  — 
an  antidote  for  every  bane. 

Our  new  journey  shall  have  its  pleasures  and  ad- 
vantages. Remember  how  of  old  we  shivered  as  we 
slept,  coiled  up  in  the  corner  of  our  dark  log  hut  and 


THE    BIGGEST    WOOD    IN    THE    WORLD.  9 

smothered  in  skins  ;  now  we  shall  swing  lightly  in 
our  netted  hammocks  under  the  gossamer  leaves  of 
the  palm  tree  or  the  feathery  frondage  of  the  ferns. 
Then  we  gazed  upon  leaden  skies,  and  at  night 
looked  upon  the  cold  constellation  of  the  Northern 
Bear ;  now  we  shall  have  over  us  an  azure  canopy, 
and  shall  nightly  behold  the  sparkling  glories  of  tha 
Southern  Cross,  still  shining  as  bright  as  when  Paul 
and  his  little  Virginie  with  loving  eyes  gazed  upon  it 
from  their  island  home.  In  our  last  journey  we  toiled 
over  bleak  and  barren  wastes,  across  frozen  lakes, 
and  marshes,  and  rivers ;  now  we  shall  pass  under 
the  shadows  of  virgin  forests,  and  float  lightly  upon 
the  bosom  of  broad,  majestic  streams,  whose  shores 
echo  with  the  voices  of  living  Nature. 

Hitherto  our  travels  have  been  upon  the  wide,  open 
prairie,  the  trackless  plain  of  sand,  the  frozen  lake, 
the  thin,  scattering  woods  of  the  north,  or  the  treeless, 
snow-clad  "  Barrens."  Now  we  are  about  to  enter  a 
great  forest  —  a  forest  where  the  leaves  never  fade, 
where  the  flowers  are  always  in  bloom  —  a  foresi 
where  the  woodman's  axe  has  not  yet  echoed 
where  the  colonist  has  hardly  hewed  out  a  single 
clearing  —  a  vast  primeval  forest,  the  largest  in  the 
world. 

How  large,  do  you  ask  ?  I  can  hardly  tell  you. 
Are  you  thinking  of  Epping,  or  the  New  Forest? 
True,  these  are  large  woods,  and  have  been  larger 
at  one  time  ;  but  if  you  draw  your  ideas  of  a  great 
forest  from  either  of  these  you  must  prepare  yourself 
for  a  startling  announcement ;  and  that  is,  that  the 


10  THE    BIGGEST    WOOD    IN    THE    WOR^t). 

forest  through  which  I  am  gomg  to  take  you  is  as 
big  as  all  Europe  !  There  is  one  place  where  a 
straight  line  might  be  drawn  across  this  forest  that 
would  measure  the  enormous  length  of  two  thousand 
six  hundred  miles  ;  and  there  is  a  point  in  it  from 
which  a  circle  might  be  described  with  a  diameter  of 
more  than  a  thousand  miles,  and  the  whole  area  in- 
cluded within  this  vast  circumference  would  be  found 
covered  with  an  unbroken  forest. 

I  need  scarce  tell  you  what  forest  I  allude  to ;  for 
there  is  none  other  in  the  world  of  such  dimensions 
—  none  to  compare  with  that  vast,  trackless  forest 
that  covers  the  valley  of  the  mighty  Amazon. 

And  what  shall  we  -see  in  travelling  through  this 
tree-covered  expanse?  Many  a  strange  form  of  life, 
both  vegetable  and  animal.  We  shall  see  the  giant 
44  ceiba  "  tree,  and  the  "  zamang,"  and  the  "  caoba," 
twined  by  huge  parasites  almost  as  thick  as  their  own 
trunks,  and  looking  as  though  they  embraced  but  to 
crush  them  ;  the  "  juvia,"  with  its  globe-shaped  fruits 
as  large  as  the  human  head  :  the  "  cow  tree,"  with 
its  abundant  fountains  of  rich  milk  ;  the  "  seringa," 
with  its  valuable  gum  ;  the  caoutchouc  of  commerce  ; 
the  "  cinchona,"  with  its  fever-killing  bark  ;  the 
curious  "  volador,"  with  its  winged  seeds ;  the  wild 
indigo ;  and  the  arnatto.  We  shall  see  palms  of 
many  species ;  some  with  trunks  smooth  and  cylin- 
drical —  others  covered  with  thorns,  sharp  and  thick- 
ly set;  some  with  broad,  entire  leaves  —  others  with 
fronds  pinnate  and  feathery,  and  still  others  whose 
leaves  are  of  the  shape  of  a  fan ;  some  rising  like 


THE    BIGGEST    WOOD    IN    THE    WORLD.  1 

naked  columns  to  the  height  of  a  hundred  and  fifty 
feet,  while  others  scarcely  attain  to  the  standard  of 
an  ordinary  man. 

On  the  water  we  shall  see  beautiful  lilies  —  the 
snow-white  nymphs  and  the  yellow  nuphars.  We 
shall  see  the  Victoria  regia  covering  the  pool  with 
its  massive  waxlike  flowers  and  huge  circular  leaves 
of  bronze  green.  We  shall  see  tall  flags  like  Sara- 
cen spears,  and  the  dark-green  culms  of  gigantic 
rushes,  and  the  golden  arundinaria,  the  bamboo, 
and  "  cana  brava,"  that  rival  the  forest  trees  in 
neight. 

Many  a  form  of  animal  life  we  may  behold.  Bask- 
ing in  the  sun  we  may  behold  the  yellow  and  spotted 
body  of  the  jaguar — a  beautiful  but  dreaded  sight. 
Breaking  through  the  thick  underwood,  or  emerging 
slowly  from  the  water,  we  may  catch  a  glimpse  of 
the  sombi*e  tapir  or  the  red-brown  capivara.  We 
may  see  the  ocelot  skulking  through  the  deep  shade 
or  the  margay  springing  upon  its  winged  prey.  We 
may  see  the  shaggy  ant  bear  tearing  at  the  cones  of 
sand  clay  and  licking  up  the  white  termites;  or  we 
may  behold  the  scaly  armadillo  crawling  over  the 
sun-parched  earth  and  rolling  itself  up  at  the  ap- 
proach of  danger.  We  may  see  human-like  forms  — 
the  quadrumana  —  clinging  among  the  high  branch- 
es and  leaping  from  tree  to  tree  like  birds  upon  the 
wing  ;  we  may  see  them  of  many  shapes,  sizes,  and 
colors,  from  the  great  howling  monkeys,  with  their 
long,  prehensile  tails,  down  to  the  little  saimiris  and 
ouistitis  not  larger  than  squirrels. 

What  beautiful   birds  too !  for  this  forest  is  their 


12  THE    BIGGEST    WOOD    IN    THE    WORLD. 

favorite  home  :  upon  the  ground,  the  large  -curas- 
sows,  and  guans,  and  the  "  gallo,"  with  his  plumage 
of  bright  red  ;  upon  the  trees,  the  macaws,  and  par- 
rots, and  toucans,  and  trogons  ;  in  the  waters,  the 
scarlet  flamingoes,  the  ibises,  and  the  tall  herons  ; 
and  in  the  air,  the  hawks,  the  zamuros,  the  king  vul- 
tures, and  the  eagles. 

We  shall  see  much  of  the  reptile  world,  both  by 
land  and  water.  Basking  upon  the  bank,  or  floating 
along  the  stream,  we  may  behold  the  great  water 
lizards,  the  crocodile,  and  caiman,  or  the  unwieldy 
forms  of  the  chelonicB  —  the  turtles.  Nimbly  run- 
ning along  the  tree  trunk  or  up  the  slanting  lliana,  we 
may  see  the  crested  iguana,  hideous  to  behold.  On 
the  branches  that  overhang  the  silent  pool  we  may 
see  the  "  water  boa,"  of  huge  dimensions,  watching 
for  his  prey  —  the  peccary,  the  capivara,  the  paca, 
or  the  agouti ;  and  in  the  dry  forest  we  may  meet 
with  his  congener,  the  "  stag  swallower,"  twined 
around  a  tree,  and  waiting  for  the  roebuck  or  the 
little  red  deer  of  the  woods. 

We  may  see  the  mygale,  or  bird-catching  spider, 
at  the  end  of  his  strong  net  trap  among  the  thick 
foliage,  and  the  tarantula  at  the  bottom  of  his  dark 
pitfall  constructed  in  the  ground.  We  may  see  the 
tentlike  hills  of  the  white  ants  raised  high  above  the 
surface,  and  the  nests  of  many  other  kinds  hanging 
from  high  branches,  and  looking  as  though  they 
had  been  constructed  out  of  raw  silk  and  paste- 
board. We  may  see  trees  covered  with  these  p^sts, 
and  some  with  the  nests  of  wasps,  and  still  others 
with  those  of  troupials  and  orioles,  —  birds  of  the 


THE    BIGGEST    "WOOD    IN    THE    WORLD.  13 

genus  Icterus   and    Cassicus, —  hanging   down   like 
long  cylindrical  purses. 

All  these,  and  many  more  strange  sights,  may  be 
seen  in  the  great  forest  of  the  Amazon  valley ;  and 
some  of  them  we  shall  see  —  viola  ! 


14  THE    REFUGEES. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  REFUGEES. 

Upon  a  bright  and  lovely  evening,  many  years 
ago,  a  party  of  travellers  might  have  been  seen 
climbing  up  that  Cordillera  of  the  Andes  that  lies  to 
the  eastward  of  the  ancient  city  of  Cuzco.  It  was  a 
small  and  somewhat  singular  party  of  travellers  ;  in 
fact,  a  travelling  family  —  father,  mother,  children, 
and  one  attendant.  We  shall  say  a -word  of  each  of 
them  separately. 

The  chief  of  the  party  was  a  tall  and  handsomt 
man,  of  nearly  forty  years  of  age.  His  countenance 
bespoke  him  of  Spanish  race  ;  and  so  he  was.  He 
was  not  a  Spaniard,  however,  but  a  Spanish  Ameri- 
can, or  "  Creole  ;  "  for  so  Spaniards  born  in  America 
are  called,  to  distinguish  them  from  the  natives  of 
Old  Spain. 

Remember,  Creoles  are  not  people  with  negro  or 
African  blood  in  their  veins.  There  is  a  misconcep- 
tion on  this  head  in  England  and  elsewhere.  The 
African  races  of  America  are  either  negroes,  mulat- 
toes,  quadroons,  quinteroons,  or  mestizoes  ;  but  the 
"  Creoles  "  are  of  European  blood,  though  born  in 
America.  Remember  this.  Don  Pablo  Romero  — 
for  that  was  the  name  of  our  traveller  —  was  a  Creole 


THE    REFUGEES.  15 

a  native  of  Cuzco,  which,  as  you  know,  was  the  an- 
cient capital  of  the  incas  of  Peru. 

Don  Pablo,  as  already  stated,  was  nearly  forty 
years  of  age.  Perhaps  he  looked  older.  His  life 
had  not  been  spent  in  idleness.  Much  study,  com- 
bined with  a  good  deal  of  suffering  and  care,  had 
made  many  of  those  lines  that  rob  the  face  of  its 
youthful  appearance.  Still,  although  his  look  was 
serious,  and  just  then  sad,  his  eye  was  occasionally 
seen  to  brighten,  and  his  light,  elastic  step  showed 
that  he  was  full  of  vigor  aDd  manhood.  He  had  a 
mustache,  very  full  and  black  ;  but  his  whiskers 
were  clean  shaven  and  his  hair  cut  short,  after  the 
fashion  of  most  people  in  Spanish  America.  He 
wore  velvet  pantaloons,  trimmed  at  the  bottoms  with 
black  stamped  leather,  and  upon  his  feet  were  strong 
boots  of  a  reddish-yellow  color  —  that  is,  the  natural 
color  of  the  tanned  hide  before  it  has  been  stained. 
A  dark  jacket,  closely  buttoned,  covered  the  upper 
part  of  his  body,  and  a  scarlet  silk  sash  encircled  his 
waist, .the  long  fringed  ends  hanging  tlown  over  the 
left  hip.  In  this  sash  were  stuck  a  Spanish  knife  and 
a  pair  of  pistols,  richly  ornamented  with  silver  mount- 
ings. But  all  these  things  were  concealed  from  the 
view  by  a  capacious  poncho,  which  is  a  garment  that 
in  South  America  serves  as  a  cloak  by  day  and  a 
blanket  by  night.  It  is  nearly  of  the  size  and  shape 
of  an  ordinary  blanket,  with  a  slit  in  the  centre, 
through  which  the  head  is  passed,  leaving  the  ends 
to  hang  down.  Instead  of  being  of  uniform  color, 
several  bright  colors  are  usually  woven  into  the 
poncho,  forming  a  variety  of  patterns.     In  Mexico  a 


16  THE  REFUGEES. 

very  similar  garment  —  the  seraph  —  is  almost  uni 
versally  worn.  The  poncho  of  Don  Pablo  was  a 
costly  one,  woven  by  hand,  and  out  of  the  finest  wool 
of  the  vicuna ;  for  that  is  the  native  country  of  this 
useful  and  curious  animal.  Such  a  poncho  would  cost 
twenty  pounds,  and  would  not  only  keep  out  cold,  but 
would  turn  rain  like  a  "  mackintosh."  Don  Pablo's 
hat  was  also  curious  and  costly.  It  was  one  of  those 
known  as  "  Panama,"  or  "  Guayaquil  "  —  hats  so 
called  because  they  are  manufactured  by  Indian 
tribes  who  dwell  upon  the  Pacific  coast,  and  are  made 
out  of  a  rare  sea  grass  which  is  found  near  the  above- 
mentioned  places.  A  good  Guayaquil  hat  will  cost 
twenty  pounds  ;  and  although,  with  its  broad,  curling 
brim  and  low  crown,  it  looks  not  much  better  than 
Leghorn  or  even  fine  straw,  yet  it  is  far  superior  to 
either,  both  as  a  protection  against  rain,  or,  what  is 
of  more  importance  in  southern  countries,  against  a 
hot  tropical  sun.  The  best  of  them  will  wear  half  a 
lifetime.  Don  Pablo's  "  sombrero  "  was  one  of  the 
very  best  and*  costliest ;  and  this,  combined  with  the 
style  of  his  other  habiliments,  betokened  that  the 
wearer  was  one  of  the  "  ricos,"  or  higher  class  of 
his  country. 

The  costume  of  his  wife,  who  was  a  dark  and  very 
beautiful  Spanish  woman,  would  have  strengthened 
this  idea.  She  wore  a  dress  of  black  silk,  with  vel- 
vet bodice  and  sleeves,  tastefully  embroidered.  A 
mantilla  of  dark  cloth  covered  her  shoulders,  and  on 
her  head  was  a  low,  broad-brimmed  hat,  similar  to 
those  usually  worn  by  men  ;  for  a  bonnet  is  a  thing 
unknown   to   the   ladies    of    Spanish    America.      A 


THE    REFUGEES.  17 

single  glance  at  the  Dona  Isidora  would  have  satis, 
fied  any  one  that  she  was  a  lady  of  rank  and  refine- 
ment. 

There  were  two  children,  upon  which,  from  time 
to  time,  she  gazed  tenderly.  They  were  her  only 
ones.  They  were  a  boy  and  girl,  nearly  of  equal 
size  and  age.  The  boy  was  the  elder,  perhaps  thir- 
teen or  more  —  a  handsome  lad,  with  swarth  face, 
coal-black  eyes,  and  curly,  full-flowing,  dark  hair. 
The  girl,  too,  who  would  be  about  twelve,  was  dark 
—  that  is  to  say  brunette  —  in  complexion.  Her  eyes 
were  large,  round,  and  dreamy,  with  long  lashes,  that 
kept  the  sun  from  shining  into  them,  and  thus  deep- 
ened their  expression. 

Perhaps  there  are  no  children  in  the  world  so 
beautiful  as  those  of  the  Spanish  race.  There  is  a 
smoothness  of  skin,  a  richness  in  color,  and  a  noble 
"hidalgo"  expression  in  their  round  black  eyes  that 
is  rare  in  other  countries.  Spanish  women  retain 
this  expression  to  a  good  age.  The  men  lose  it 
earlier,  because,  as  I  believe,  they  are  oftener  of  cor- 
rupted morals  and  habits ;  and  these,  long  exercised, 
certainly  stamp  their  lines  upon  the  face.  Those 
which  are  mean,  and  low,  and  vicious  produce  a 
similar  character  of  countenance  ;  while  those  which 
are  high,  and  holy,  and  virtuous  give  it  an  aspect  or 
beauty  and  nobility. 

Of  all  beautiful  Spanish  children,  none  could  have 
been  more  beautiful  than  our  two  little  Creole  Span- 
iards,  Leon  and  Leona  ;  for  such  were  the  names  of 
the  brother  and  sister. 

There  yet  remains  one  to  be  described  ere  wo 
2 


18  THE    REFUGEES. 

complete  the  account  of  our  travelling  party.  This 
one  was  a  grown  and  tall  man,  quite  as  tall  as  Don 
Pablo  himself,  but  thinner  and  more  angular  in  his 
outlines.  His  coppery  color,  his  long,  straight  blacK 
hair,  his  dark  and  wild  piercing  eye,  with  his  some- 
what odd  attire,  told  you  at  once  he  was  of  a  different 
race  from  any  of  the  others.  He  was  an  Indian  —  a 
South  American  Indian  ;  and,  although  a  descendant 
from  the  noble  race  of  the  Peruvian  incas,  he  was 
acting  in  the  capacity  of  a  servant  or  attendant  to 
Don  Pablo  and  his  family.  There  was  a  familiarity, 
however,  between  the  old  Indian —  for  he  was  an  old 
man  —  and  Don  Pablo  that  bespoke  the  existence  of 
some  tie  of  a  stronger  nature  than  that  which  exists 
between  master  and  servant ;  and  such  there  was  in 
reality.  This  Indian  had  been  one  of  the  patriots 
who  had  rallied  around  Tupac  Amaru  in  his  revolu- 
tion against  the  Spaniards.  He  had  been  proscribed, 
captured,  and  sentenced  to  death.  He  would  have 
been  executed  but  for  the  interference  of  Don  Pablo, 
who  had  saved  his  life.  Since  then  Guapo  —  such 
was  the  Indian's  name  —  had  remained,  not  only  the 
retainer,  but  the  firm  and  faithful  friend,  of  his  bene- 
factor. 

Guapo's  feet  were  sandalled.  His  legs  were  naked 
up  to  the  knees,  showing  many  an  old  scar  received 
from  the  cactus  plants  and  the  thorny  bushes  of 
acacia  so  common  in  the  mountain  valleys  of  Peru. 
A  tunic-like  shirt  of  woollen  cloth  —  that  homemade 
sort  called  "bay eta" — was  fastened  around  his 
waist,  and  reached  down  to  the  knees  ;  but  the  upper 
part  of  his  body  was  quite  bare,  and  you  could  see 


THE    REFUGEES,  19 

the  naked  breast  and  arms,  corded  with  strong  mus- 
cles, and  covered  with  a  skin  of  a  dark  copper  color 
The  upper  part  of  his  body  was  naked  only  when 
the  sun  was  hot.  At  other  times  Guapo  wore  a 
species  of  poncho  like  his  master ;  but  that  of  the 
Indian  was  of  common  stuff,  woven  out  of  the  coarse 
wool  of  the  lama.     His  head  was  bare. 

Guapo's  features  were  thin,  sharp,  and  intelligent. 
His  eye  was  keen  and  piercing ;  and  the  gait  of  the 
old  man  as  he  strode  along  the  rocky  path  told  that  it 
would  be  many  years  before  he  would  show  any 
signs  of  feebleness  or  tottering. 

There  were  four  animals  that  carried  our  travellers 
and  their  effects.  One  was  a  horse  ridden  by  the 
boy  Leon.  The  second  was  a  saddle  mule,  on  which 
rode  Dona  Isidora  and  Leona.  The  other  two  ani- 
mals were  not  mounted.  They  were  beasts  of  bur- 
den, with  "  yerguas,"  or  pack  saddles,  upon  which 
were  carried  the  few  articles  that  belonged  to  the 
travellers.  They  were  the  camels  of  Peru  —  the  far- 
famed  lamas.  Don  Pablo,  with  his  faithful  retainer, 
travelled  afoot. 

You  will  wonder  that  one  apparently  so  rich  and 
on  so  distant  a  journey  was  not  provided  with  animals 
enough  to  cany  his  whole  party.  Another  horse  at 
least,  or  a  mule,  might  have  been  expected  in  the 
cavalcade.  It  would  not  have  been  strange  had 
Guapo  only  walked,  as  he  was  the  arriero^or  driver 
of  the  lamas ;  but  to  see  Don  Pablo  afoot  and  evi- 
dently tired,  with  neither  horse  nor  mule  to  ride  upon, 
was  something  that  required  explanation.  There 
was   another   fact   that   required    explanation.     The 


20  THE    REFUGEES. 

countenance  of  Don  Pablo  wore  an  anxious  expres- 
sion, as  if  some  danger  impended  ;  so  did  that  of  the 
lady  ;  and  the  children  were  silent,  with  their  little 
hearts  full  of  fear.  They  knew  not  what  danger,  but 
they  knew  that  their  father  and  mother  were  in 
trouble.  The  Indian,  too,  had  a  serious  look ;  and 
at  each  angle  of  the  mountain  road  he  and  Don  Pa- 
blo would  turn  around  and  with  anxious  eyes  gaze 
back  in  the  direction  that  led  towards  Cuzco.  As 
yet  they  could  distinguish  the  spires  of  the  distant 
city  and  the  Catholic  crosses,  as  they  glistened  under 
the  evening  sunbeam.  Why  did  they  look  back  with 
fear  and  distrust  ?  Why  ?  Because  Don  Pablo  was 
in  fight,  and  feared  pursuers.  What  !  had  he 
committed  some. great  crime?  No.  On  the  con- 
trary, he  was  the  victim  of  a  noble  virtue  —  the 
virtue  of  patriotism.  For  that  had  he  been  con- 
demned and  was  now  in  flight  —  flying  to  save  not 
only  his  liberty,  but  his  life  —  yes,  his  life  ;  for,  had 
the  sentinels  on  those  distant  towers  but  recognized 
him,  he  would  soon  have  been  followed  and  dragged 
back  to  an  ignominious  death. 

Young  reader,  I  am  writing  of  things  that  occurred 
near  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  and  before 
the  Spanish  American  colonies  became  free  from 
the  rule  of  Old  Spain.  You  will  remember  that  these 
countries  were  then  governed  by  viceroys,  who  rep- 
resented the  King  of  Spain,  but  who  in  reality  were 
quite  as  absolute  as  that  monarch  himself.  The 
great  viceroys  of  Mexico  and  Peru  held  court  in 
grand  state,  and  lived  in  the  midst  of  barbaric  pomp 
and  luxury.     The   power  of  life   and  death  was  in 


THE    REFUGEES.  21 

their  hands,  and  in  many  instances  they  used  it  in 
the  most  unjust  and  arbitrary  manner.  They  were 
themselves,  of  course,  natives  of  Old  Spain  —  often 
the  pampered  favorites  of  that  corrupt  court.  All 
the  officials  by  which  they  were  surrounded  and 
served  were,  like  themselves,  natives  of  Spain,  or 
"  Gachupinos,"  (as  the  Creoles  used  to  call  them ;) 
while  the  Creoles  —  no  matter  how  rich,  or  learned, 
or  accomplished  in  anyway  —  were  excluded  from 
every  office  of  honor  and  profit.  They  were  treated 
by  the  Gachupinos  with  contempt  and  insult.  Hence, 
for  long,  long  years  before  the  great  revolutions  of 
Spanish  America,  a  strong  feeling  of  dislike  existed  be- 
tween Creole  Spaniards  and  Spaniards  of  Old  Spain ; 
and  this  feeling  was  quite  independent  of  that  which 
either  had  towards  the  Indians  —  the  aborigines  of 
America.  This  feeling  brought  about  the  revolution 
which  broke  out  in  all  the  countries  of  Spanish 
America  (including  Mexico)  about  the  year  1810, 
and  which,  after  fifteen  years  of  cruel  and  sanguinary 
fighting,  led  to  the  independence  of  these  countries. 
Some  people  will  tell  you  that  they  gained  nothing 
by  this  independence,  as  since  that  time  so  much 
war  and  anarchy  have  marked  their  history.  There 
is  scarcely  any  subject  upon  which  mankind  thinks 
more  superficially  and  judges  more  wrongly  than  upon 
this  very  one.  It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  a  people 
enjoys  either  peace  or  prosperity  simply  because  it  is 
quiet.  There  is  quiet  in  Russia,  but  to  its  millions  of 
serfs  war  continuous  and  eternal  ;  and  the  same  may 
be  said  of  many  other  countries  as  well  as  Russia. 
To  the  poor  slave,  or  even  to  the  overtaxed  subject 


22  THE    REFUGEES. 

peace  is  no  peace,  but  a  constant  and  systematized 
struggle,  often  more  pernicious  in  its  effects  than 
even  the  anarchy  of  open  war.  A  war  of  this  kind 
numbers  its  slain  by  millions  ;  for  the  victims  of 
famine  are  victims  of  political  crime  on  the  part  of 
a  nation's  rulers.  I  have  no  time  now  to  talk  of 
these  things.  Perhaps,  boy  reader,  you  and  I  may 
meet  on  this  ground  again,  and  at  no  very  distant 
period. 

Well,  it  was  not  in  the  general  rising  of  1810  that 
Don  Pablo  had  been  compromised,  but  previous  to 
that.  The  influence  of  the  European  revolution  of 
1798  was  felt  even  in  distant  Spanish  America,  and 
several  ebullitions  occurred  in  different  parts  of  that 
country  at  the  same  time.  They  were  premature  ; 
they  were  crushed.  Those  who  had  taken  part  in 
them  were  hunted  to  the  death.  Death  !  death  !  was 
the  war  cry  of  the  Spanish  hirelings  ;  and  bitterly 
did  they  execute  their  vengeance  on  all  who  were 
compromised.  Don  Pablo  would  have  been  a  victim 
among  others  had  he  not  had  timely  warning  and 
escaped  ;  but,  as  it  was,  all  his  property  was  taken 
by  confiscation,  and  became  the  plunder  of  the  ra- 
pacious tyrant. 

We  are  introduced  to  him  just  at  the  period  of  his 
escape.  By  the  aid  of  the  faithful  Guapo  he  had 
hastily  collected  a  few  things,  and,  with  his  wife  and 
family,  fled  in  the  night.  Hence  the  incompleteness 
of  his  travelling  equipage.  He  had  taken  one  of  the 
most  unfrequented  paths  —  a  mere  bridle  road  — 
that  led  from  Cuzco  eastward  over  the  Cordillera. 
His  intent  was  to  gain  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Andes 


THE    REFUGEES.  23 

Mountains,  where  he  might  conceal  himself  for  a 
time  in  the  uninhabited  woods  of  the  Great  Montana 
and  towards  this  point  was  he  journeying.  By  a  ruse 
he  had  succeeded  in  putting  the  soldiers  of  the  despo 
on  a  false  track  ;  but  it  was  not  certain  that  they 
might  not  yet  fall  into  the  true  one.  No  wonder 
then,  when  he  gazed  back  towards  Cuzco,  that  hii 
look  was  one  of  aporehenqion  and  anxiety. 


24  THE    POISON    TREES. 


CHAPTER   m. 

THE    POISON    TREES. 

Following  the  rugged  and  winding  path,  the  trav- 
ellers had  climbed  to  a  height  of  many  thousand  feet 
above  the  ocean  level.  There  was  very  little  vege- 
tation around  them.  Nothing  that  deserved  the  name 
of  tree,  if  we  except  a  few  stunted  specimens  of 
quenoa  trees,  (Polylepis  racemosa,)  and  here  and 
there  patches  of  the  Ratanhia  shrub,  (Kra?neria,) 
which  covered  the  hillsides.  Both  these  are  used 
by  the  mountain  Indians  as  fuel,  but  the  Ratanhia  is 
also  a  favorite  remedy  against  dysentery  and  blood 
spitting.  Its  extract  is  even  exported  to  European 
countries,  and  is  to  be  found  in  the  shop  of  the  apoth- 
ecary. 

Now  and  then  a  beautiful  species  of  locust  was 
seen  with  its  bright-red  Powers.  It  was  the  "  Sangre 
de  Christo  "  of  the  Peruvian ^ra. 

Don  Pablo  Romero  was  a  naturalist,  and  I  may 
here  tell  you  a  pleasant  and  interesting  fact  —  which 
is,  that  many  of  the  earliest  patriots  and  revolution- 
ists of  Spanish  America  were  men  who  had  distin- 
guished themselves  in  natural  science  —  in  fact, 
were  the  "  savans  "  of  these  countries.  I  call  this  a 
pleasant  fact,  and  you  may  deem  it  a  curious  one  too, 
because  men  of  science  are  usually  lovers  of  peace 


THE    POISON    TREES.  25 

and  not  accustomed  to  meddle  either  in  war  or  poli- 
tics. But  the  truth  of  the  matter  is  this  —  under  the 
government  of  the  viceroys  all  books,  except  those 
of  a  monkish  religion,  were  jealously  excluded  from 
these  countries.  No  political  work  whatever  was 
permitted  to  be  introduced  ;  and  the  people  were  kept 
in  the  grossest  ignorance  of  their  natural  rights.  It 
was  only  into  learned  institutions  that  a  glimmering 
of  the  light  of  freedom  found  its  way,  and  it  was 
amongst  the  professors  of  these  institutions  that  the 
"  rights  of  men  "  first  began  to  be  discussed.  Many 
of  these  noble  patriots  were  the  first  victims  offered 
up  on  the  altar  of  Spanish  American  independence. 

Don  Pablo,  I  have  said,  was  a  naturalist;  and  it 
was,  perhaps,  the  first  journey  he  had  ever  made 
without  observing  attentively  the  natural  objects  that 
presented  themselves  along  his  route.  But  his  mind 
was  busy  with  other  cares  ;  and  he  heeded  neither 
the  fauna  nor  flora.  He  thought  only  of  his  loved 
wife  and  dear  children,  of  the  dangers  to  which  he 
and  they  were  exposed.  He  thought  only  of  increas- 
ing the  distance  between  them  and  his  vengeful  ene- 
mies. During  that  day  they  had  made  a  toilsome 
journey  of  fifteen  miles,  up  the  mountain,  —  a  long 
journey  for  the  lamas,  who  rarely  travel  more  than 
ten  or  twelve, —  but  the  dumb  brutes  seemed  to  exert 
themselves  as  if  they  knew  that  danger  threatened 
those  who  guided  them.  They  belonged  to  Guapo, 
who  had  not  been  a  mere  servant,  but  a  cultivator, 
and  had  held  a  small  "  chacra,"  or  farm,  under  Don 
Pablo.  Guapo's  voice  was  well  known  to  the  crea- 
tures, and  his  "  hist !  "  of  encouragement  urged  them 


26  THE    POiSON    TREES. 

on.  But  fifteen  miles  was  an  unusual  journey,  and 
the  animals  began  to  show  symptoms  of  fatigue. 
Their  humming  noise,  which  bears  some  resem- 
blance to  the  tones  of  an  iEolian  harp,  boomed  loud 
at  intervals  as  the  creatures  came  to  a  stop  ;  and  then 
the  voice  of  Guapo  could  be  heard  urging  them  for- 
ward. 

The  road  led  up  a  defile,  which  was  nothing  more 
than  the  bed  of  a  mountain  torrent,  now  dry.  For  a 
long  distance  there  was  no  spot  of  level  ground 
where  our  travellers  could  have  encamped,  even  had 
they  desired  to  stop.  At  length,  however,  the  path 
led  out  of  the  torrent  bed,  and  they  found  themselves 
on  a  small  ledge,  or  table,  covered  with  low  trees. 
These  trees  were  of  a  peculiar  kind,  very  common 
in  all  parts  of  the  Andes,  and  known  as  molle  trees. 
They  are  more  properly  bushes  than  trees,  being 
only  about  ten  or  twelve  feet  in  height.  They  have 
long,  delicate  pinnate  leaves,  very  like  those  of  the 
acacia,  and,  when  in  fruit,  they  are  thickly  covered 
with  clusters  of  small,  bright-red  berries.  These 
berries  are  used  among  some  tribes  of  Indians  for 
making  a  highly  valuable  and  medicinal  beer;  but 
the  wood  of  the  tree  is  of  more  importance  to  the 
people  of  those  parts  as  an  article  of  fuel,  because 
the  tree  grows  where  other  wood  is  scarce.  It  is 
even  considered  by  the  sugar  refiners  as  the  best  for 
their  purpose,  since  its  ashes,  possessing  highly  alka- 
line properties,  are  more  efficient  than  any  other  in 
purifying  the  boiling  juice  of  the  sugar  cane.  The 
leaves  of  this  beautiful  tree,  when  pressed,  emit  a 
strong  aromatic  smell ;  and  a  very  curious  propertv 


THE    POISON    TREES.  27 

ascribed  to  it  by  the  more  ignorant  people  of  the 
mountains  will  be  illustrated  by  the  dialogue  which 
follows  :  — 

"  Let  us   pass  the  night  here,"  said  Den  Pablo 
halting,   and   addressing   himself  to  Guapo.      '  This 
level  spot  will  serve  us  to  encamp.     We  can  sleep 
under  the  shade  of  the  bushes." 

"  What !  mi  amo  !  (my  master !)  Here  ?  "  replied 
the  Indian,  with  a  gesture  of  surprise. 

"  And  why  not  here  ?  Can  any  place  be  better  ? 
If  we  again  enter  the  defile  we  may  find  no  other 
level  spot.  See  !  the  lamas  will  go  no  farther.  We 
must  remain  therefore." 

"  But,  master,"  continued  Guapo,  "  see  !  " 

"  See  what  ?  " 

"  The1  trees,  master  !  " 

"  Well,  what  of  the  trees  ?  Their  shade  will  serve 
to  screen  us  from  the  night  dew.  We  can  sleep  un- 
der them." 

"  Impossible,  master  —  they  are  poison  trees  !  " 

"  You  are  talking  foolishly,  Guapo.  These  are 
molle  trees." 

UI  know  it,  senor ;  but  they  are  poison.  If  we 
sleep  under  them  we  shall  not  awake  in  the  morning 
—  we  shall  awake  no  more." 

And  Guapo,  as  he  uttered  these  words,  looked 
horrified. 

"  This  is  nonsense  ;  you  are  superstitious,  old  man. 
We  must  abide  here.  See  !  the  lamas  have  lain 
down.     They  will  not  move  hence,  I  warrant." 

Guapo  turned  to  the  lamas,  and,  thinking  that  theii 


28  THE    POISON    TREES 

movements  might  influence  the  decision  of  his  mas- 
ter,  began  to  urge  them  in  his  accustomed  way.  But 
it  is  a  peculiarity  of  these  creatures  not  to  stir  one 
step  beyond  what  they  consider  a  proper  journey. 
Even  when  the  load  is  above  that  which  they  are  ac- 
customed to  carry,  —  that  is  to  say,  one  hundred  and 
twenty  pounds,  —  neither  voice  nor  whip  will  move 
them.  They  may  be  goaded  to  death,  but  will  not 
yield,  and  coaxing  has  a  like  effect.  Both  knew  that 
they  had  done  their  day's  work  ;  and  the  voice,  the 
gesticulations,  and  blows  of  Guapo  were  all  in  vain. 
Neither  would  obey  him  any  longer.  The  Indian 
saw  this,  and  reluctantly  consented  to  remain  ;  at  the 
same  time  he  continued  to  repeat  his  belief  that  they 
would  all  most  certainly  perish  in  the  night.  For 
himself,  he  expressed  his  intention  to  climb  a  ledge, 
and  sleep  upon  the  naked  rocks  ;  and  he  earnestly 
entreated  the  others  to  follow  his  example. 

Don  Pablo  listened  to  the  admonitions  of  his  retain- 
er with  incredulity,  though  not  with  any  degree  of 
disdain.  He  knew  the  devotedness  of  the  old  Indian, 
and  therefore  treated  what  he  considered  a  mere 
superstition  with  a  show  of  respect.  But  he  felt  an 
inclination  to  cure  Guapo  of  the  folly  of  such  a  be- 
lief; and  was,  on  this  account,  the  more  inclined  to 
put  his  original  design  into  execution.  To  pass  the 
night  under  the  shade  of  the  molle  trees  wis,  there- 
fore, determined  upon. 

All  dismounted.  The  lamas  were  unloaded  ;  their 
packs,  or  yerguas,  taken  off;  the  horse  and  mule 
were  unsaddled ;  and  all  were  permitted  to  browse 


THE    POISON    TREES.  29 

over  the  little  space  which  the  ledge  afforded.  They 
were  all  trained  animals.  There  was  no  fear  of  any 
of  them  straying. 

The  next  thing  was  to  prepare  supper.  All  were 
hungry,  as  none  of  the  party  had  eaten  since  morn- 
ing. In  the  hurry  of  flight,  they  had  made  no  pro- 
vision for  an  extended  journey.  A  few  pieces  of 
charqui  (jerked  or  dried  beef)  had  been  brought 
along  ;  and,  in  passing  near  a  field  of  "  oca,"  Guapo 
had  gathered  a  bunch  of  the  roots,  and  placed  them 
on  the  back  of  his  lama.  This  oca  is  a  tuberous 
root,  (Oxalis  tuberosa,)  of  an  oval  shape  and  pale-red 
color,  but  white  inside.  It  resembles  very  much  the 
Jerusalem  artichoke,  but  it  is  longer  and  slimmer. 
Its  taste  is  very  agreeable  and  sweetish  —  somewhat 
like  that  of  pumpkins,  and  it  is  equally  good  when 
roasted  or  boiled.  There  is  another  sort  of  tuberous 
root,  ( Tropceolum  tuberosum,)  called  "  ulluca  "  by  the 
Peruvians,  which  is  more  glutinous  and  less  pleasant 
to  the  taste.  This  kind  is  various  in  form,  being 
either  round,  oblong,  straight,  or  curved,  and  of  a 
reddish-yellow  color  outside,  though  green  within. 
It  is  insipid  when  boiled  with  water,  but  excellent 
when  dressed  with  Spanish  peppers,  [Capsicum.)  Out 
of  the  oca,  then,  and  charqui,  the  supper  must  be 
made  ;  and  for  the  purpose  of  cooking  it,  a  fire  must 
be  kindled  with  the  wood  of  the  molle. 

For  a  long  time  there  was  a  doubt  about  whether  it 
would  be  safe  to  kindle  this  fire.  The  sun  had  not 
yet  gone  down,  and  the  smoke  might  attract  observa- 
tion from  the  valley  below.  If  the  pursuers  were  on 
their  track,  it  might  be  noticed  ;  as  upon  this  lonely 


30  THE    POISON   TREES. 

route  a  fire  would  indicate  nothing  else  than  the 
camp  of  some  one  on  a  journey.  But  the  stomachs 
of  our  travellers  cried  for  food,  and  it  was  at  length 
resolved  to  light  the  fire,  but  not  until  after  sunset, 
when  the  smoke  could  be  no  longer  seen,  and  the 
blaze  would  be  hidden  behind  the  thick  bushes  of 
molle. 

Don  Pablo  walked  off  from  the  camp,  and  wan- 
dered among  the  trees,  to  see  if  he  could  find  some- 
thing that  might  contribute  a  little  variety  to  their 
simple  supper.  A  small,  broomlike  plant,  that  grew 
among  the  molle  trees,  soon  attracted  his  attention. 
This  was  the  quinoa  plant,  (Chenopodium  quinoa,) 
which  produces  a  seed  not  unlike  rice,  though  small- 
er in  the  grain,  whence  it  has  received  in  commerce 
the  name  "  petty  rice."  The  quinoa  seeds,  when 
boiled,  are  both  pleasant  and  nutritious,  but  especial- 
ly so  when  boiled  in  milk.  Previous  to  the  discovery 
of  America,  "quinoa"  was  an  article  of  food,  sup- 
plying the  place  of  wheat.  It  was  much  used  by  the 
natives,  and  is  still  collected  for  food  in  many  parts. 
Indeed,  it  has  been  introduced  into  some  European 
countries,  and  cultivated  with  success.  The  leaves, 
when  young,  can  be  used  as  spinach,  but  the  seeds 
are  the  most  sought  after  for  food. 

Don  Pablo  having  called  Leon  to  assist  him,  a 
quantity  of  the  seeds  were  soon  collected  into  a  ves- 
sel, and  carried  to  the  place  which  they  had  chosen 
for  their  camp  ;  and,  as  it  was  now  dark  enough,  the 
fire  was  kindled  and  the  cooking  pot  got  ready.  The 
Dona  Isidora,  although  a  fine  lady,  was  one  of  those 
who  had  all  her  life  been  accustomed  to  look  after 


THE    POISON    TREES.  31 

her  household  affairs  :  and  this,  it  may  be  remarked, 
is  a  somewhat  rare  virtue  among  the  Peruvian  ladies, 
who  are  generally  too  much  given  to  dress  and  idle- 
ness. It  was  not  so,  however,  with  the  wife  of  Don 
Pablo.  She  knew  how  to  look  after  the  affairs  of  the 
cuisine,  and  could  dress  any  of  the  peculiar  dishes 
of  the  country  with  the  best  of  cooks.  In  a  short 
while,  therefore,  an  excellent  supper  was  ready,  of 
which  all  ate  heartily,  and  then,  wrapping  themselves 
up  in  their  ponchos,  lay  down  to  sleep. 


32  THE    SUPPER    OF    GUAPO. 


CHAPTER   IV. 
THE  SUPPER  OF  GUAPO. 

I  have  said  all  ate  of  the  supper.  This  is  not 
strictly  true.  One  of  the  party  did  not  touch  it ;  and 
that  was  old  Guapo.  Why  ?  Was  he  not  hungry 
like  the  rest?  Yes,  as  hungry  as  any  of  them. 
Why,  then,  did  he  not  eat  of  the  charqui  and  ocas  ? 
Simply  because  Guapo  had  a  supper  of  a  very  dif- 
ferent kind,  which  he  carried  in  his  pouch,  and  which 
he  liked  much  better  than  the  charqui  stew.  What 
was  it  ?     It  was  "  coca." 

"  Chocolate,"  you  will  say,  or,  as  some  call  it, 
"  cocoa,"  which  should  be  called,  to  name  it  proper- 
ly, "  cacao."  No,  I  answer ;  it  was  not  chocolate, 
nor  cocoa,  nor  cacao  neither. 

"  It  must  have  been  cocoa  nuts,  then."  No,  nor 
yet  cocoa  nuts.  The  "  coca "  upon  which  Guapo 
made  his  supper,  and  which  contented  his  stomach 
perfectly  for  the  night,  was  an  article  very  different 
from  either  the  cacao  which  makes  chocolate  or  the 
nut  of  the  cocoa  palm.  You  are  now  impatient  to 
hear  what  sort  of  thing  it  was,  and  I  shall  tell  you  at 
once. 

The  coca  is  a  small  tree,  or  shrub,  about  six  feet 
in  height,  which  grows  in  the  warmer  vallejs  among 
the  Andes  Mountains.     Its  botanical  name  is  Ery- 


THE    SUTPER    OF    GUAPO.  33 

throxylon  coca.  Its  leaves  are  small  and  of  a  bright- 
green  color,  and  its  blossoms  white.  Its  fruits  are 
very  small  scarlet  berries.  It  is  a  native  plant,  and 
therefore  found  in  a  wild  state  ;  but  k  is  cultivated 
by  the  planters  of  these  countries  in  fields  regularly 
laid  out,  and  hence  called  "  cocales."  This  plant  is 
raised  from  the  seed  ;  and  when  the  young  shoots 
have  attained  the  height  of  about  eighteen  inches 
they  are  transplanted  and  put  down  again  at  the  dis- 
tance of  about  a  foot  apart  from  each  other.  Now, 
as  these  little  bushes  require  a  humid  atmosphere, 
maize  plants  are  sown  between  the  rows  to  protect 
them  from  the  sun.  In  other  places  arbors  of  palm 
leaves  are  constructed  over  the  coca  plants.  When 
no  rain  falls,  they  are  watered  every  five  or  six  days. 
After  about  two  and  a  half  years  of  this  nursing  the 
coca  bush  is  ready  for  use  ;  and  it  is  the  leaves  alone 
that  are  valuable.  These  are  gathered  with  great  care, 
just  as  the  Chinese  gather  the  leaves  of  the  tea  plant ; 
and,  as  in  China,  women  are  principally  employed  in 
this  labor.  The  leaves  are  said  to  be  ripe,  not  when 
they  have  withered  and  turned  brown,  but  at  a  period 
when  they  are  fullgrown  and  become  brittle.  When 
this  period  arrives  they  are  picked  from  the  tree  and 
laid  out  on  coarse  woollen  cloths  to  dry  in  the  sun. 
When  dried,  they  remain  of  a  pale-green  color  ;  but, 
should  they  get  damp  during  the  process,  they  be- 
come darker,  and  are  then  of  inferior  quality,  and  sell 
for  a  less  price.  When  fully  dried,  they  are  care- 
fully packed  in  bags  and  covered  up  with  dry  sand, 
and  are  thus  ready  for  the  market.  Their  price,  on 
the  spot  where  the  crop  is  produced,  is  about  one 
3 


JJ4  HE    SUPPER    OF    GUAPO. 

shilling  English  per  pound.  They  are  therefore  full 
as  costly  to  produce  as  tea  itself,  although  the  coca 
bush  will  yield  three  crops  of  leaves  in  one  year  — 
that  is,  a  crop  every  four  months  ;  and  one  hundred 
plants  will  produce  about  an  arroba  (twenty-five 
pounds)  at  a  crop.  The  coca  plant  will  continue 
to  give  fresh  leaves  for  a  long  period  of  years 
unless  attacked  and  destroyed  by  ants,  which  is  not 
unfrequently  the  case. 

Now,  why  have  I  so  minutely  described  the  coca 
bush  ?  Because  that,  in  the  economy  of  the  life  of 
those  Indians  who  inhabit  the  countries  of  the  Andes 
Mountains,  this  curious  plant  plays  a  most  important 
part.  Scarcely  one  of  these  people  is  to  be  met 
with  who  is  not  an  eater  of  coca  —  a  "  coquero." 
With  them  it  is  what  the  tea  tree  is  to  the  Chinese. 
Indeed,  it  is  a  curious  fact,  that  in  all  parts  of  the 
world  some  stimulating  vegetable  is  used  by  the  hu- 
man race  —  tea  in  China,  the  betel  leaf  and  the  nut 
of  the  areca  palm  among  the  southern  Asiatics,  the 
poppy  in  the  East,  with  tobacco  and  many  like  things 
in  other  countries. 

But  the  coca  not  only  supplies  the  Indian  with  a 
solace  to  his  cares ;  it  forms  the  chief  article  of  his 
food.  With  a  supply  of  coca  an  Indian  will  sup- 
port himself  five  or  six  days  without  eating  any  thing 
else.  The  poor  miners  in  the  Peruvian  mines  are 
all  "  coqueros  ; "  and  it  is  alleged  that,  without  coca, 
they  would  be  unable  to  undergo  the  painful  toil 
to  which  their  calling  subjects  them.  When  used 
to  excess,  the  coca  produces  deleterious  effects  on 
the  human  system;  but,  if  moderately  taken,  it  is 


THE    SUPPER    OF    GUAPO.  35 

far  more  innocent  in  its  results  than  either  opium  or 
tobacco. 

The  coca  leaf  is  not  eaten  alone.  A  certain  prep- 
aration  is  necessary,  and  another  substance  is  mixed 
with  it,  before  it  produces  the  proper  effect.  But  let 
us  watch  the  movements  of  Guapo,  and  we  shall  see 
how  he  does  it ;  for  Guapo  is  a  confirmed  coquero. 

Guapo,  true  to  his  promise,  does  not  sleep  under 
the  molle  trees.  He  leaves  the  party,  and,  with  a 
melancholy  air,  has  climbed  up  and  seated  himself 
upon  a  projecting  rock,  where  he  intends  to  pass  the 
night.  His  last  glance  at  Don  Pablo  and  his  family 
was  one  of  foreboding.  He  had  again  remonstrated 
with  his  master,  but  to  no  purpose  Vha  latter  only 
laughed  at  the  earnestness  of  the  o.vw  indian,  and  told 
him  to  go  to  his  perch  and  leave  the  party  to  them- 
selves. 

It  was  still  gray  light  when  Guapo  climbed  up  to 
the  rock.  Against  the  sky  his  tall,  lank  form  couU 
be  traced  in  all  its  outlines.  For  some  moments  he 
sat  in  a  serious  and  »flective  mood,  evidently  busy 
with  thoughts  about  the  "  poison  trees."  His  appe- 
tite, however,  soon  got  the  better  of  him,  and  he  set 
to  work  to  prepare  his  coca  supper.  It  was  a  simple 
operation. 

Around  Guapo's  neck  there  hung  a  small  pouch 
made  of  the  skin  of  the  chinchilla,  which  beautiful 
little  animal  is  a  native  of  these  parts.  This  pouch 
contained  a  quantity  of  the  dry  leaves  of  the  coca. 
Having  taken  out  some  half  dozen  of  these  leaves, 
he  put  them  into  his  mouth  and  commenced  chewing 
them.     In  a  short  while,  by  the  aid  of  tongue,  teeth, 


36  THE    SUPPER    OF    GUAPO. 

and  lips,  they  were  formed  into  a  little  ball  of  pulp 
that  rolled  about  in  his  mouth.  Another  step  in  the 
process  now  became  necessary.  A  small  gourd,  that 
hung  around  Guapo's  neck  by  a  thong,  was  laid  hold 
of.  This  was  corked  with  a  wooden  stopper,  in  which 
stopper  a  wire  pin  was  fixed,  long  enough  to  reach 
down  to  the  bottom  of  the  gourd.  After  taking  out 
the  stopper,  Guapo  applied  the  lower  part  of  the  pin 
to  his  lips,  and  then,  plunging  it  once  more  into  the 
gourd,  drew  it  out  again.  This  time  the  pin  came 
out  with  a  fine  whitish  powder  adhering  to  the  part 
that  had  been  wetted.  Now,  what  was  this  powder  ? 
It  was  nothing  else  than  lime  that  had  been  burned 
and  then  pulverized.  Perhaps  it  was  the  ashes  of 
the  molle  tree,  of  which  we  have  already  spoken, 
and  which,  as  we  have  said,  possess  a  highly  alkaline 
property.  The  ashes  of  the  musa,  or  plaintain,  are 
sometimes  used  ;  but,  after  all,  it  is  most  likely  that 
it  was  the  molle  ashes  which  Guapo  carried  ;  for 
these  are  most  highly  esteemed  by  the  Indians  of 
southern  Peru  ;  and  Guapo  was  a  connoisseur  in 
coca  eating.  Whichever  of  the  three  it  was, —  lime, 
molle\  or  musa,  —  Guapo  carried  the  pin  to  his 
mouth,  and,  without  touching  his  lips,  (it  would  have 
burned  him  if  he  had,)  he  inserted  it  so  as  to  pene- 
trate the  ball  of  chewed  coca  leaves  that  rested  upon 
the  tip  of  his  tongue.  This  was  stabbed  repeatedly 
and  adroitly  by  the  pin,  until  all  the  powder  remained 
in  the  coca  ball ;  and  then  the  pin  was  withdrawn, 
wiped,  and  restored  to  its  place  along  with  the  stopper 
of  the  gourd. 

Guapo  now  remained  quietly  ;;  ruminating"  for  a 


THE    SUPPER   OF    GUAPO.  37 

period  of  about  forty  minutes  :  for  this  is  about  the 
time  required  for  chewing  a  mess  of  coca  leaves. 
Indeed,  so  exactly  is  this  time  observed  that  the  In- 
dians, when  travelling,  measure  distances  by  it ;  and 
one  "  coceada  "  is  about  equal  to  the  time  pccupied 
in  walking  a  couple  of  English  miles. 

The  coceada  of  our  old  Indian  being  finished,  he 
drew  his  lama-wool  poncho  around  him,  and,  leaning 
back  against  the  rock,  was  soon  buried  in  a  profound 
slumber. 


38  THE    PUNA. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  PUNA. 

By  early  dawn  Guapo  was  awake,  but  he  did  not 
immediately  awake  the  others.  It  was  still  too  dark 
to  follow  the  mountain  road.  His  first  care  was  to 
have  his  coca  breakfast ;  and  to  this  he  applied  him- 
self at  once. 

Day  was  fairly  broke  when  he  had  ended  the  pro- 
cess of  mastication ;  and  he  bethought  him  of  de- 
scending from  the  rock  to  arouse  the  sleepers.  He 
knew  they  still  slept,  as  no  voice  had  yet  issued  from 
the  grove  of  molles.  The  mule  and  horse  were 
heard  cropping  the  grass,  and  the  lamas  were  now 
feeding  upon  an  open  spot  —  the  first  they  had  eaten 
since  their  halt,  as  these  creatures  do  not  browse  in 
the  night. 

Guapo  descended  with  fear  in  his  heart.  How  it 
would  have  joyed  him  to  hear  the  voice  of  his  mas- 
ter or  of  any  of  them !  But  no.  Not  a  sound  pro- 
ceeded from  any  one  of  the  party.  He  stole  nimbly 
along  the  ledge,  making  his  way  through  the  molle 
trees.  At  length  he  reached  the  spot.  All  asleep  ? 
Yes,  all !  "  Are  they  dead  ?  "  thought  Guapo,  and 
his  heart  beat  with  anxiety.  Indeed,  they  seemed  so. 
The  fatigue  of  travel  had  cast  a  sickly  paleness  over 


THE    PUNA.  3& 

the  faces  of  all,  and  one  might  easily  have  fancied 
they  no  longer  lived  ;  but  they  breathed.  "  Yes,  they 
breathe ! "  ejaculated  the  old  Indian,  half  aloud, 
"  They  live  !  "  Guapo  bent  down,  and,  seizing  Don 
Pablo  by  the  arm,  shook  him  —  at  first  gently,  utter- 
ing, at  the  same  time,  some  words  to  awake  him 
But  neither  the  shaking  nor  the  voice  had  any  effect 
Guapo  shook  more  violently,  and  shouted  louder 
Still  Don  Pablo  slept.  None  of  the  others  moved  — 
none  of  them  heard  him.  It  was  strange ;  for  the 
Indian  knew  that  Don  Pablo  himself,  as  well  as  the 
others,  were  easily  awaked  on  ordinary  occasions. 
Guapo,  becoming  alarmed,  now  raised  his  voice  to  its 
loudest  pitch,  at  the  same  time  dragging  Don  Pablo's 
shoulder  in  a  still  more  violent  manner.  This  had 
the  desired  effect.  The  sleeper  awoke,  but  so  slow- 
ly, and  evidently  with  such  exertion,  that  there  was 
something  mysterious  in  it. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  he  inquired,  with  half-opened  eyes. 
"  Is  it  morning  already  ?  " 

"  The  sun  is  up.  Rouse,  my  master  !  It  is  time 
we  were  on  the  road,"  replied  the  Indian. 

"I  feel  very  drowsy  —  I  am  heavy  —  I  can  scarce 
keep  my  eyes  open.  What  can  be  the  cause  of 
this  ?  " 

"  The  poison  trees,  master,"  answered  Guapo. 

The  answer  seemed  to  impress  Don  Pablo.  He 
made  a  violent  effort,  and  rose  to  his  feet.  When 
up  he  could  scarcely  stand.  He  felt  as  though  he 
had  swallowed  a  powerful  opiate. 

"  It  must  be  so,  good  Guapo.     Perhaps  there  is 


40  THE    PUNA. 

some  truth  in  what  you  have  said.  O  Heavens !  " 
exclaimed  he,  suddenly  recollecting  himself — r"the 
others  —  my  wife  and  children  !  " 

This  thought  had  fully  awakened  Don  Pablo ;  and 
Guapo  and  he  proceeded  at  once  to  arouse  the  others, 
which  they  effected  after  much  shouting  and  shaking. 
All  were  still  heavy  with  sleep,  and  felt  as  did  Don 
Pablo  himself. 

"  Surely  there  is  some  narcotic  power  id  the  aroma 
of  these  trees,"  muttered  Don  Pablo.  "  Come,  wife, 
let  us  be  gone  !  We  must  remain  under  its  influence 
no  longer,  else  what  Guapo  has  said  may  prove  too 
true.  Saddle  up  —  we  must  eat  our  breakfasts  farther 
on.  .  To  the  road  !  —  to  the  road  !  " 

Guapo  soon  had  the  horses  ready,  and  all  hurried 
from  the  spot,  and  were  once  more  climbing  up  the 
mountain  path.  Even  the  animals  seemed  to  move 
slowly  and  lazily,  as  though  they,  too,  had  been  un- 
der the  influence  of  some  soporific.  But  the  pure 
cold  air  of  the  mountain  soon  produced  its  effect. 
Ail  gradually  recovered  ;  and  after  cooking  some 
charqui  and  ocas  in  the  ravine,  and  making  theii 
breakfast  upon  these,  they  again  felt  light  and  fresh, 
and  pursued  their  journey  with  renewed  vigor. 

The  road  kept  on  up  the  ravine,  and  in  some 
places  the  banks  rose  almost  perpendicularly  from 
the  bed  of  the  dry  torrent,  presenting  on  both  sides 
vast  walls  of  black  porphyry  —  for  this  is  the  princi 
pal  rock  composing  the  giant  chain  of  the  Andes. 
Above  their  heads  screamed  small  parrots  of  rich 
plumage  of  the  species  Conurus  rupicola,  which 
make    their  nestling-places    and    dwell    upon   these 


THE    PUNA.  41 

rocky  cliffs.  This  is  a  singular  fact,  as  all  other 
parrots  known  are  dwellers  among  trees,  and  are 
found  in  the  forest  at  all  times,  except  when  on  their 
passage  from  place  to  place.  But  even  the  squirrel, 
which  is  an  animal  peculiarly  delighting  in  tree  life, 
has  its  representative  in  several  species  of  ground 
squirrels,  that  never  ascend  a  tree  ;  and,  among  the 
monkeys,  there  exists  the  troglodyte,  or  cave-dwell- 
ing chimpanzee.  No  doubt  squirrels  or  monkeys  of 
any  kind,  transported  to  an  open  or  treeless  country, 
would  soon  habituate  themselves  to  their  new  situ- 
ation —  for  Nature  affords  many  illustrations  of  this 
power  of  adaptation  on  the  part  of  her  creatures. 

It  was  near  sunset  when  our  travellers  reached  the 
highest  point  of  their  route,  nearly  fourteen  thousand 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea !  Here  they  emerged 
upon  an  open  plain  which  stretched  far  before  them. 
Above  this  plain  towered  mountains  of  all  shapes  to  a 
height  of  many  thousand  feet  from  the  level  of  the  plain 
itself.  Some  of  these  mountains  carried  their  cover- 
ing of  eternal  snow,  which,  as  the  evening  sun 
glanced  upon  it,  exhibited  the  most  beautiful  tints  of 
rose,  and  purple,  and  gold.  The  plain  looked  bleak 
and  barren,  and  the  cold  which  our  travellers  now 
felt  added  to  the  desolateness  of  the  scene.  No  trees 
were  in  sight.  Dry  yellow  grass  covered  the  ground, 
and  the  rocks  stood  out  naked  and  shaggy.  They 
had  reached  one  of  those  elevated  tables  of  the 
Andes  known  as  the  Puna. 

These  singular  tracts,  elevated  above  the  level  of 
cultivation,  are  almost  uninhabited.  Their  only  inhab« 
itants  are  a  few  poor  Indians,  who  are  employed  by 


42  THE    PUNA. 

the  rich  proprietors  of  the  lower  -valleys  as  shep- 
herds ;  for  upon  those  cold  uplands  thrive  sheep,  and 
cattle,  and  lamas,  and  flocks  of  the  wool-bearing  al- 
paco.  Through  this  wild  region,  however,  you  may 
travel  for  days  without  encountering  even  a  single 
one  of  the  wretched  and  isolated  inhabitants  who 
watch  over  these  flocks  and  herds. 

On  reaching  the  Puna,  our  party  had  made  their 
day's  journey,  and  would  have  halted.  The  lamas 
already  showed  signs  of  giving  out  by  stopping  and 
uttering  their  strange  booming  note.  But  Guapo 
knew  these  parts  —  for,  though  a  descendant  of  the 
incas,  he  had  originally  come  from  the  great  forest 
beyond  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Andes,  where  many 
of  the  Peruvian  Indians  had  retired  after  the  cruel 
massacres  of  Pizarro.  He  now  remembered  that 
not  far  from  where  they  were  was  a  shepherd's  hut 
and  that  the  shepherd  himself  was  an  old  friend  of 
his  That  would  be  the  place  to  stop  for  the  night ; 
and,  by  Guapo's  advice,  Don  Pablo  resolved  to  con- 
tinue on  to  the  hut.  Guapo  fell  upon  his  knees  be- 
fore the  lamas,  and,  after  caressing  and  kissing  them 
and  using  a  great  variety  of  endearing  expressions, 
he  at  last  coaxed  these  animals  to  proceed.  No  other 
means  would  have  availed,  as  beating  would  not  make 
either  lama  budge  an  inch.  The  leader,  who  was  a 
fine  large  animal  and  a  great  favorite  with  its  master, 
at  length  stepped  boldly  out ;  and  the  other,  encour 
aged  by  the  sound  of  the  small  bells  that  tinkled 
around  the  head  of  the  leader,  followed  after,  and 
so  the  travellers  moved  on. 

"  Come,   papa !  "   cried   Leon  ;    "  you   are   tirea 


THE    PUNA.  43 

yourself —  mount  this  horse  —  I  can  walk  a  bit  r  " 
at  the  same  instant  the  boy  flung  himself  from  the 
back  of  the  horse,  and  led  him  up  to  where  his  father 
stood.  Then,  handing  the  bridle  to  the  latter,  he 
struck  off  along  the  plain,  following  Guapo  and  Ms 
lamas. 

The  road  skirted  round  the  rocks,  where  the  moun- 
tain came  down  to  meet  the  plain.  The  walk  was 
not  a  long  one,  for  the  hut  of  which  Guapo  spoke 
became  visible  at  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile's  dis- 
tance. An  odd-looking  hut  it  was —  more  like  an 
ill-built  stack  of  bean  straw  than  a  house.  It  had 
been  built  in  the  following  manner  :  — 

First,  a  round  ring  of  large  stones  had  been  laid, 
then  a  row  of  turf,  then  another  tier  of  stones,  and 
so  on,  until  the  circular  wall  had  reached  the  height 
of  about  four  or  five  feet,  the  diameter  being  not 
more  than  eight  or  nine.  On  the  top  of  the  wall  a 
number  of  poles  had  been  set,  so  as  to  meet  above 
where  they  were  tied  together.  These  poles  were 
nothing  else  than  the  long  flower  stalks  of  the  maguey 
or  American  aloe,  [Agave  Americana^)  as  no  other 
wood  of  sufficient  length  grew,  in  the  vicinity.  These 
poles  served  for  rafters,  and  across  them  laths  had 
been  laid,  and  made  fast.  Over  all  this  was  placed  a 
thatch  of  the  long  coarse  Puna  grass,  which  was  tied 
in  its  place  by  grass  ropes  that  were  stretched  from 
side  to  side  over  the  top.  This  was  the  hut  of  Gua- 
po's  friend,  and  similar  to  all  others  that  may  be 
encountered  in  the  wild  region  of  the  Puna.  A  door 
was  left  in  the  side,  not  over  two  feet  high,  so  lhat  it 


«w4  THE    PUNA. 

was  necessary  to  crawl  upon  the  hands  and  knees 
before  any  one  could  reach  the  interior. 

As  our  travellers  approached,  they  saw  that  the 
entrance  was  closed  by  an  oxhide,  which  covered 
the  »vhole  of  the  opening. 

Whether  the  shepherd  was  at  home,  was  the  next 
question  ;  but,  as  they  got  near  to  the  house,  Guapo 
suggested  that  Don  Pablo  should  dismount  and  let 
Leon  get  upon  horseback.  This  suggestion  was  made 
on  account  of  the  Puna  dogs  —  of  which  creatures 
Guapo  had  a  previous  knowledge.  These  dogs, 
known  by  the  name  of  inca  dogs,  (Canis  Inga^)  are, 
perhaps,  the  fiercest  animals  of  their  species.  They 
are  small,  with  pointed  muzzles,  tails  curling  upward, 
and  long  shaggy  hair.  They  are  half  wild,  snappish 
and  surly  as  it  is  possible  for  dogs  to  be.  They  at- 
tack strangers  with  fury,  and  it  is  as  much  as  their 
masters  can  do  to  rescue  even  a  friend  from  their 
attack.  Even  when  wounded,  and  unable  any  longer 
to  keep  their  feet,  they  will  crawl  along  the  ground 
and  bite  the  legs  of  those  who  have  wounded  them. 
They  are  even  more  hostile  to  white  people  than  to 
Indians,  and  it  is  sometimes  dangerous  to  approach 
an  Indian  hut  where  three  or  four  of  these  fierce 
creatures  are  kept,  as  they  will  jump  up  against  the 
side  of  a  horse,  and  bite  the  legs  of  the  rider.  Their 
masters  often  use  the  stick  before  they  can  get  obedi- 
ence from  them.  In  every  Indian  hut  several  of 
these  animals  may  be  found,  as  they  are  extremely 
useful  to  the  shepherds  in  guarding  their  flocks  and 
for  hunting.     They  are  much  employed  throughout 


THE    PUNA.  45 

the  Puna  to  hunt  the  "  yutu,"  a  species  of  partridge, 
which  inhabits  the  rushy  grass.  This  bird  is  traced 
by  the  dogs,  seized  before  it  can  take  to  flight,  and 
killed  by  a  single  bite  of  its  fierce  pursuer.  Con- 
sidering the  savage  nature  of  the  inca  dogs,  Guapo 
showed  great  caution  in  approaching  the  hut  of  his 
friend.  He  first  called  loudly,  but  there  was  no  re- 
ply. He  then  stole  forward  with  his  long  knife,  or 
"machete"  in  his  hand,  and,  having  lifted  the  skin 
that  covered  the  low  doorway,  peeped  in.  The  hut 
was  empty. 


46         THE  WILD  BULL  OF  THE  PUNA. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
THE  WILD  BULL  OF  THE  PUNA. 

Guapo  was  not  much  troubled  at  this.  He  knew 
he  could  take  the  liberty  of  using  his  friend's  roof 
for  the  night,  even  should  the  latter  not  return  to 
grant  it.  He  crawled  in.  Of  course  his  friend  was 
only  temporarily  absent — no  doubt  looking  after  his 
flocks  of  sheep  and  alpacos  ;  and  as  he  was  a  bache- 
lor there  was  no  wife  at  home,  but  there  were  his 
furniture  and  utensils.  Furniture  !  No  —  there  was 
none.  There  never  is  in  the  hut  of  a  Puna  shepherd. 
Utensils  !  Yes  —  there  was  an  earthen  "  olla,"  or  pot 
to  cook  soup  in,  another  to  boil  or  roast  maize,  a  jar 
to  hold  water,  a  few  split  gourd  shells  for  plates,  two 
or  three  others  for  cups  —  that  was  all.  This  was 
the  catalogue  of  utensils.  Two  stones  set  a  little 
apart  formed  the  fireplace,  in  which  the  shepherd, 
when  he  makes  a  fire  to  cook  with,  makes  it  out  of 
dry  dung,  (taquia.)  A  couple  of  dirty  sheepskins 
lay  upon  the  ground.  These  were  the  bed.  Nothing 
more  was  to  be  seen.  Yes,  there  was  one  thing  more, 
and  this  gladdened  the  eyes  of  Guapo.  In  a  bag 
that  hung  against  the  wall,  and  on  which  he  soon  laid 
his  hands,  he  felt  something  —  a  collection  of  hard, 
round  objects,  about  as  big  as  large  chestnuts.    Guapo 


THE  WILD  BULL  OF  THE  PUNA.         47 

knew  very  well  what  these  were.  He  knew  they 
were  "  macas." 

What  are  macas  ?  you  will  ask.  Macas,  then, 
are  tuberous  roots  that  grow  in  the  elevated  regions 
of  the  Puna,  where  neither  ocas,  ullucas,  nor  pota- 
toes will  thrive.  They  are  cultivated  by  the  inhab- 
itants, and  in  many  parts  constitute  almost  the  only 
food  of  these  wretched  people.  They  have  an  agree* 
able  and  rather  sweetish  flavor,  and,  when  boiled  in 
milk,  taste  somewhat  like  boiled  chestnuts.  They 
can  be  preserved  for  more  than  a  year  by  simply 
drying  them  in  the  sun,  and  then  exposing  them  to 
the  cold  air,  when  they  become  hard  and  shrivelled. 
They  thrive  best  in  this  high  region,  for  although 
they  will  grow  in  the  lower  valleys,  they  are  there 
very  insipid  and  worthless.  The  Indians  prepare 
them  for  food  by  boiling  them  into  a  soup,  or  sirup, 
which  is  taken  with  parched  maize  corn. 

Guapo  knew  that  he  had  got  his  hands  upon  a  bag 
of  dried  macas,  and,  although  their  owner  was  ab- 
sent, he  had  already  come  to  the  determination  to 
appropriate  them  for  himself  and  party.  His  joy  at 
the  discovery  had  not  subsided  when  another  bag 
drew  his  attention,  and  this  was  the  signal  for  another 
delightful  surprise.  His  hand  touched  the  new  bag 
in  a  trice.  There  was  a  rattling  sound  within. 
Peas  ?     No  —  maize. 

"  Good  !  "  ejaculated  Guapo  ;  "  maize  and  macas  ! 
That  with  what  is  left  of  the  charqui  —  we  shall  not 
fast  to-night." 

Guapo  now  backed  himself  out  of  the  hut,  and  joy- 
fully announced  the  discoveries  he  had  made.     The 


48         THE  WILD  BULL  OF  THE  PUNA. 

travellers  dismounted.  The  horse  and  mule  were 
picketed  on  lassoes  on  the  plain.  The  lamas  were 
left  to  go  at  will.  They  would  not  stray  far  from 
their  owner. 

It  was  piercing  cold  in  this  highland  region.  Dona 
Isidora  and  the  children  entered  the  hut,  while  Don 
Tablo  and  Guapo  remained  without  for  the  purpose 
of  collecting  fuel.  There  was  not  a  stick  of  wood, 
as  no  trees  of  any  sort  grew  near.  Both  strayed  off 
upon  the  plain  to  gather  the  taquia,  or  ordure  of  the 
cattle,  though  no  cattle  were  in  sight.  Their  tracks, 
however,  were  visible  all  around. 

While  engaged  thus,  the  old  Indian  suddenly  raised 
himself  from  his  stooping  position  with  an  exclama- 
tion that  betokened  alarm.  What  had  startled  him  ? 
A  loud  bellowing  was  heard  —  it  was  the  bellowing 
of  a  bull.  But  what  was  there  in  that  sound  to  alarm 
two  fullgrown  men  ?  Ah,  you  know  not  the  bulls 
of  the  Puna. 

Coming  around  a  promontory  of  rocks,  a  large 
black  bull  was  in  sight.  He  was  approaching  them 
in  full  run,  his  head  thrown  down,  his  eyes  glaring 
fiercely.  At  every  spring  he  uttered  a  roar  which 
was  terrific  to  hear.  A  more  horrid  object  it  would 
be  difficult  to  conceive.  You  may  suppose  that  an 
adventure  with  an  enraged  bull  is  one  of  an  ordinary 
character,  and  may  occur  any  day,  even  in  the  green 
meadow  pastures  of  Old  England.  So  it  is,  if  the 
animal  were  only  an  English  bull.  But  it  is  a  far 
different  affair  with  the  bulls  of  the  Puna.  Through- 
out all  Spanish  America  animals  of  this  kind  are  of 
a  fiercer  nature  than  elsewhere.     It  is  from  them  the 


THE  WILD  BULL  OF  THE  PUNA.        49 

bulls  used  in  the  celebrated  fights  are  obtained  ;  and, 
perhaps,  the  race  has  been  made  fiercer  by  the  treat- 
ment they  receive  on  such  occasions  —  for  many  of 
those  that  exhibit  in  the  arena  are  afterwards  used  to 
breed  from.  But,  in  general,  the  Spanish  American 
"  vaqueros,"  or  cattle  herds,  treat  the  cattle  under 
their  charge  with  much  cruelty,  and  this  has  the  effect 
of  rendering  them  savage.  Even  in  herds  of  cattle 
where  there  are  no  bulls,  there  are  cows  so  danger- 
ous to  approach  that  the  vaqueros  never  attempt 
driving  them  unless  when  well  mounted.  A  Mexican 
or  South  American  cattle  herd  is,  therefore,  always  a 
mounted  man.  There  is  a  difference,  too,  among 
the  bulls  in  different  parts  of  these  countries.  On  the 
llanos  of  Venezuela  they  are  not  so  fierce  as  those 
of  the  Puna,  and  they  are  more  and  less  so  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  Mexico  and  the  pampas  of  Buenos 
Ayres. 

The  Puna  bulls  are,  perhaps,  the  fiercest  and  most 
dangerous  of  all.  They  are  more  than  half  wild. 
They  scarcely  ever  see  a  human  being,  and  they  will 
attack  one  upon  sight.  To  a  mounted  man  there  is 
little  danger,  unless  by  the  stumbling  or  falling  of  his 
horse ;  but  many  a  poor  Indian,  crossing  these  high 
plains  afoot,  has  fallen  a  sacrifice  to  these  vengeful 
brutes. 

Both  Don  Pablo  and  Guapo  knew  all  this,  and 
therefore  were  aware  of  their  own  danger.  Neither 
had  a  weapon  —  not  so  much  as  a  stick.  They  had 
laid  aside  their  knives  and  other  arms,  which  had 
been  carried  inside  the  hut.  To  reach  the  hut  before 
the  bull  reached  them  would  be  impossible ;  the  brute 
4 


50         THE  WILD  BULL  OF  THE  PUNA. 

was  coming  nearly  from  it  —  for  he  had  issued  from 
some  shelter  in  the  rocks  not  far  off.  They  were  full 
two  hundred  yards  out  upon  the  plain,  and  to  run  in 
the  direction  of  the  rocks  would  have  been  to  run 
counter  to  the  bull  and  meet  him  face  to  face.  Their 
danger  was  imminent.     What  was  to  be  done  ? 

There  was  not  much  time  left  them  for  considera- 
tion.  The  furious  animal  was  within  thirty  paces 
distance,  roaring  loudly,  shaking  his  head  and  brand- 
ishing his  long  sharp  horns.  At  this  moment  a  happy 
thought  occurred  almost  simultaneously  to  Don  Pablo 
and  the  Indian.  The  evening,  as  we  have  already 
said,  was  piercing  cold,  and  both,  in  going  out  to 
collect  the  fuel,  had  worn  their  ponchos.  The  trick 
of  the  matadore  with  his  red  cloak  suggested  itself  in 
this  moment  of  peril.  Both  had  seen  it  performed 
—  Don  Pablo  often  —  and  knew  something  of  the 
"  way."  In  a  moment  both  had  stripped  the  ponchos 
from  their  shoulders,  and,  placing  themselves  a  la 
matadore,  awaited  the  onset  of  the  bull.  It  was  agreed 
that,  as  soon  as  the  bull  was  "  hooded  "  by  either 
both  should  run  at  all  speed  to  the  rocks,  where  the} 
could  easily  climb  out  of  reach  of  the  animal. 

Don  Pablo  happened  to  be  more  in  the  way,  an« 
perhaps  his  more  showy  poncho  attracted  the  bruto 
but  whether  or  not,  he  was  the  first  to  receive  the 
charge.  With  the  adroitness  of  a  practised  matadom 
he  flung  his  poncho  on  the  horns  of  the  animal,  an<* 
then  both  ran  in  the  direction  of  the  rocks.  As  thev 
faced  towards  the  hut,  however,  to  the  horror  of  Dor 
Pablo  he  saw  the  Dona  Isidora,  with  Leon  and  th* 
little  Leona,  all  outside,  and  even  at  some  distance 


THE  WILD  BULL  OF  THE  PUNA.         51 

from  the  entrance.  Attracted  by  the  bellowing  of 
the  bull  and  the  shouts  of  the  men,  they  had  rushed 
out  of  the  hut. 

Don  Pablo,  in  wild  accents,  shouted  to  them  to 
make  for  the  door ;  but,  paralyzed  by  terror,  they 
were  for  some  moments  unable  to  move.  At  length 
Dona  Isidora,  recovering  herself,  ran  for  the  entrance 
pushing  the  children  before  her.  But  the  low  door- 
way was  difficult  of  access  ;  they  were  slow  in  get 
ting  under  it ;  and  they  would  have  been  too  late,  as 
the  bull,  after  shaking  off  the  poncho,  had  turned  and 
made  directly  for  the  hut. 

"  O  God,  preserve  her  !  "  cried  Don  Pablo,  as  he 
saw  the  enraged  animal  within  a  few  paces  of  where 
his  wife  had  knelt  to  enter  the  doorway.  "  She  ia 
lost !  she  is  lost !  " 

In  fact,  the  bull  was  making  directly  towards  her, 
and  it  seemed  as  if  nothing  could  then  have  inter- 
posed to  save  her. 

At  that  moment  the  tramp  of  a  horse  in  full  gallop 
sounded  on  their  ears.  Don  Pablo  looked  up.  A 
strange  horseman  was  near  the  spot  —  an  Indian. 
Over  his  head  a  singular  instrument  was  revolving. 
There  were  three  thongs  fastened  at  one  end,  while 
at  the  other  end  of  each  was  a  ball.  These  balls 
were  whirling  and  gyrating  in  the  air.  The  next 
moment  both  thongs  and  balls  were  seen  to  part  from 
the  hands  of  the  rider  and  warp  themselves  around 
the  legs  of  the  bull.  The  latter  made  an  awkward 
spring  forward,  and  then  fell  upon  the  plain,  where 
he  lay  kicking  and  helpless.  The  horseman  uttered 
a  yell  of  triumph,  sprang  from  his  horse,  and,  running 


52         THE  WILD  BULL  OF  THE  PUNA. 

up  to  the  prostrate  animal,  thrust  the  blade  of  h'i3 
long  machete  into  its  throat.  The  red  stream  gushed 
forth,  and  in  a  few  seconds  the  black  monster  lay 
motionless  upon  the  plain. 

The  new  comer  quietly  unwound  the  thongs  —  the 
tolas  —  from  the  legs  of  the  dead  bull,  and  then 
aidressed  himself  to  our  travellers. 


THE    "  VAQUERO."  53 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  "VAQUERO." 

Who  was  this  deliverer  ?  No  other  than  the 
vaquero,  the  friend  of  Guapo,  who  now  welcomed 
Guapo  and  his  companions,  telling  them,  in  the  po- 
lite phraseology  of  all  Spanish  Americans,  that  his 
house  (! )  was  at  their  service ;  they  were  welcome 
to  all  it  contained. 

The  macas,  and  maize,  and  a  fresh  steak  from  the 
wild  bull  enabled  them  to  make  a  most  excellent 
supper.  In  return  for  this  hospitality,  Don  Pablo 
made  the  vaquero  a  handsome  present  out  of  his 
purse ;  but  what  gratified  him  still  more  was  a  sup- 
ply of  coca  which  his  friend  Guapo  was  enabled  to 
bestow  upon  him,  for  his  own  stock  had  been  ex- 
hausted for  some  days.  Guapo,  on  leaving  Cuzco, 
had  spent  his  last  peseta  in  buying  this  luxury,  and 
therefore  was  well  provided  for  weeks  to  come. 

After  they  had  had  supper,  he  and  his  friend 
seated  themselves  on  one  side  and  quietly  chewed 
for  a  good  half  hour;  when  at  length  Guapo,  who 
knew  he  could  trust  the  vaquero,  because  the  latter, 
like  himself,  was  one  of  the  "  patriotas,"  communi- 
cated to  him  the  object  of  their  journey  through  that 
desolate  region.  The  vaquero  not  only  promised 
secrecy,  but  bound  himself  to  put  any  party  of  pur- 


54  THE    M  VAQUERO." 

suers  completely  off  the  trail.  The  vaquero,  even  in 
his  remote  mountain  home,  had  heard  of  Don  Pablo, 
knew  that  he  was  a  good  patriot  and  friend  of  the 
Indians ;  and  he  would  therefore  have  risked  his  life 
to  serve  such  a  man ;  for  no  people  have  proved 
more  devoted  to  the  friends  of  their  race  than  these 
simple  and  faithful  Indians  of  the  Andes.  How  many- 
instances  of  noble  self-sacrifice  —  even  of  life  itself 

—  occurred  during  the  painful  history  of  their  con- 
quest by  the  cruel  and  sanguinary  followers  of 
Pizarro ! 

The  vaquero,  therefore,  did  all   in   his  power  to 
make  his  guests  comfortable  for  the  night.     His  dogs 

—  there  were  four  of  them  —  were  not  so  hospitably 
inclined,  for  they  did  not  seem  to  know  friends  from 
enemies.  They  had  come  up  shortly  after  their 
master  himself  arrived,  and  had  made  a  desperate 
attack  upon  every  body.  The  vaquero,  however, 
assisted  by  Guapo,  —  who,  being  an  Indian,  was  less 
troubled  with  them,  —  gave  them  a  very  rough 
handling  with  a  large  whip  which  he  carried,  and 
then,  securing  the  whole  of  them,  tied  them  together 
in  a  bunch,  and  left  them  at  the  back  of  the  hut  to 
snap  and  growl  at  each  other,  which  they  did  through- 
out the  livelong  night.  Supper  over,  all  the  travellers 
would  have  retired  to  rest ;  but  the  vaquero  having 
announced  that  he  was  going  out  to  set  snares  for  the 
chinchillas  and  viscachas,  Leon  could  not  rest,  but 
asked  permission  to  accompany  him.  This  was 
granted  both  by  Don  Pablo  and  the  vaquero  himself. 

The  chinchilla,  and  its  near  relative,  the  viscacha, 
are  two  little  animals  of  the  rodent,  or  grass-eating, 


THE    "  VAQUER0."  55 

krnd  that  inhabit  the  very  highest  mountains  of  Peru 
and  Chili.  They  are  nearly  of  the  same  size,  ana 
each  about  as  big  as  a  rabbit,  which  in  habits  they 
very  much  resemble.  They  have  long  tails,  how- 
ever, which  the  rabbit  has  not,  though  the  latter  beats 
them  in  the  length  of  his  ears.  The  color  of  the 
chinchilla  is  known  to  every  body,  since  its  soft,  vel- 
vety fur  is  highly  prized  by  ladies  as  an  article  of 
dress,  and  may  be  seen  in  every  London  fur  shop. 
The  animal  is  of  a  beautiful  marbled  gray,  white  and 
black,  with  pure  white  feet.  The  fur  of  the  viscacha 
is  not  so  pretty,  being  of  a  brownish  and  white  mix- 
ture. Its  cheeks  are  black,  with  long,  bristly  mus- 
taches like  those  of  a  cat,  while  its  head  resembles 
that  of  the  hare  or  rabbit.  Both  these  innocent  little 
creatures  live  upon  the  high  declivities  of  the  Andes, 
in  holes  and  crevices  among  the  rocks,  where  they 
remain  concealed  during  the  day,  but  steal  out  to 
feed  twice  in  the  twenty-four  hours — that  is,  during 
the  evening  twilight  and  in  the  early  morning.  The 
mode  of  capturing  them  is  by  snares  made  of  horse- 
hair, which  are  set  in  front  of  their  caves,  just  as 
we  snare  rabbits  in  a  warren,  except  that  for  the  rab- 
bits we  make  use  of  light,  elastic  wire  instead  of  the 
horsehair. 

Leon  was  delighted  with  the  excursion,  as  the 
vaquero  showed  him  how  to  set  the  snares,  and  told 
him  a  great  many  curious  stories  of  Puna  life  and 
habits.  Some  of  these  stories  were  about  the  great 
condor  vulture,  which  the  narrator  of  course  described 
as  a  much  bigger  bird  than  it  really  is ;  for  the  con- 


56  THE    "  VAQUERO." 

dor,  after  all,  is  not  so  much  bigger  than  the  griffon 
vulture,  or  even  the  vulture  of  California.  But  you, 
young  reader,  have  already  had  a  full  account  of  the 
vultures  of  America,  the  condor  among  the  rest , 
therefore  we  shall  not  repeat  what  was  said  by  the 
-vaquero  about  this  interesting  bird. 

On  the  way  to  the  place  where  the  snares  were  to 
be  set  they  passed  a  lagoon,  or  marshy  lake,  in  which 
were  many  kinds  of  birds  peculiar  to  these  high  re- 
gions. Out  on  the  open  water  they  saw  a  wild  gooso 
of  a  very  beautiful  species.  It  is  called  the  "  hua- 
chua"  goose.  Its  plumage  is  of  a  snowy  whiteness,  all 
except  the  wings,  which  are  bright  green  and  violet, 
while  the  beak,  legs,  and  feet  are  scarlet.  They 
also  saw  two  species  of  ibis  wading  about  in  the 
marsh,  and  a  gigantic  water  hen  (Fulica  gigantea) 
almost  as  big  as  a  turkey.  This  last  is  of  a  dark- 
gray  color,  with  a  red  beak,  at  the  base  of  which  is  a 
large  yellow  knob  of  the  shape  of  a  bean.  On  this 
account  it  is  called  by  the  Indians  "  bean  nose." 
Upon  the  plain,  near  the  border  of  the  marsh,  they 
noticed  a  beautiful  plover,  (Charadrius,)  having 
plumage  marked  very  much  like  that  of  the  "  hua- 
chua "  goose,  with  green  wings  shining  in  the  sun 
like  polished  metal.  Another  curious  bird  also  sat 
upon  the  plain,  or  flew  around  their  heads.  This 
was  a  bird  of  prey  of  the  species  of  jerfalcons,  (Pol- 
yborus.)  The  vaquero  called  it  the  "  huarahua.^' 
He  told  Leon  it  preyed  only  on  carrion,  and  never 
killed  its  own  food  ;  that  it  was  very  harmless  and 
tame  ;  which  was   evidently  true,  as,  shortly  after 


VAQUERO."  57 

one  of  them,  seated  upon  a  stone,  allowed  the  Indian 
to  approach  and  knock  it  over  with  a  stick.  Such  a 
silly  bird  Leon  had  never  seen. 

The  vaquero  was  quite,  a  naturalist  in  his  way  — 
that  is,  he  knew  all  the  animals  of  the  Puna  and  their 
habits,  just  as  you  will  sometimes  find  a  gamekeeper 
in  our  own  country,  or  often  a  shepherd  or  farm 
servant.  He  pointed  out  a  rock  woodpecker,  which 
he  called  a  "  pito,"  ( Colaptes  rupicola,)  that  was 
fluttering  about  and  flying  from  rock  to  rock.  Like 
the  cliff  parrots  we  have  already  mentioned,  this  rock 
woodpecker  was  a  curious  phenomenon  ;  for,  as  their 
very  name  implies,  the  woodpeckers  are  all  tree- 
dwelling  birds ;  yet  here  was  one  of  the  genus  living 
among  rocks  where  not  a  tree  was  to  be  seen,  and 
scarcely  a  plant  except  the  thorny  cactuses  and 
magueys,  with  which  succulent  vegetables  the  wood- 
pecker has  nothing  to  do.  The  "  pito  "  is  a  small, 
brown,  speckled  bird,  with  yellow  belly ;  and  there 
were  great  numbers  of  them  flying  about. 

But  the  bird  which  most  fixed  the  attention  of  Leon 
was  a  little  bird  about  the  size  of  a  starling.  Its 
plumage  was  rather  pretty.  It  was  brown,  with 
black  stripes  on  the  back,  and  white  breasted.  But 
it  was  not  the  plumage  of  the  bird  that  interested 
Leon.  It  was  what  his  companion  told  him  of  a 
singular  habit  which  it  had  —  that  of  repeating,  at 
the  end  of  every  hour  during  the  night,  its  melancholy 
and  monotonous  note.  The  Indians  call  this  bird  the 
4  cock  of  the  inca,"  and  they  moreover  regard  it 
with  a  sort  of  superstitious  reverence. 

Having  placed  his  snares,  the  vaquero  set  out  to 


58  THE    "  VAQUERO." 

return  with  his  youthful  companion.  As  they  walked 
back  along  the  mountain  foot,  a  fox  stole  out  from 
the  rocks  and  skulked  towards  the  marshy  lake,  no 
doubt  in  search  of  prey.  This  fox  was  the  Cants 
azarce,  a  most  troublesome  species,  found  all  through 
South  America.  He  is  the  great  pest  of  the  Puna 
shepherds,  as  he  is  a  fierce  hunter,  and  kills  many  of 
the  young  lambs  and  alpacos.  The  vaquero  was 
sorry  he  had  not  his  dogs  with  him,  as,  from  the 
route  the  fox  had  taken,  he  would  have  been  certain 
to  have  captured  him  ;  and  that  would  have  been 
worth  something  ;  for  the  great  sheep  owners  give 
their  shepherds  a  sheep  for  every  old  fox  that  they 
can  kill,  and  for  every  young  one  a  lamb.  But  the 
dogs,  on  this  occasion,  had  been  left  behind,  lest  they 
should  have  bitten  Leon,  and  the  vaquero  was  com- 
pelled to  let  "  Renard  "  go  his  way.  It  was  night 
when  they  returned  to  the  hut ;  and  then,  after  Leon 
had  related  f  *Vv«ils  of  their  excursion,  all  retired 
to  *est. 


LAMAS,    ALPACOS,    VICUNAS,    AND    GUANACOS.       59 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

LAMAS,  ALPACOS,  VICUNAS,  AND   GUANACOS. 

Our  travellers  were  stirring  by  early  break  of  day. 
As  they  issued  from  the  hut,  a  singular  and  interest- 
ing scene  presented  itself  to  their  eyes.  At  one 
view  —  one  coup  aVozil  —  they  beheld  the  whole  four 
species  of  the  celebrated  camel  sheep  of  the  Andes, 
—  for  there  are  four  of  them,  —  lama,  guanaco, 
alpaco,  and  vicuna.  This  was  a  rare  sight  indeed. 
They  were  all  browsing  upon  the  open  plain  ;  first, 
the  lamas  near  the  hut ;  then  a  flock  of  tame  al- 
pacos  out  upon  the  plain  ;  thirdly,  a  herd  of  seven 
guanacos  farther  off;  and,  still  more  distant,  a  larger 
herd  of  the  shy  vicunas.  The  guanacos  and  vicunas 
were  of  uniform  colors,  —  that  is,  in  each  flock,  the 
color  of  the  individuals  was  the  same,  —  while  among 
the  lamas  and  alpacos  there  were  many  varieties  of 
color.  The  latter  two  kinds  were  tame  ;  in  fact,  they 
were  under  the  charge  of  Guapo's  friend  the  shep. 
herd  ;  whereas  the  herds  of  vicunas  and  guanacos 
consisted  of  wild  animals. 

Perhaps  no  animal  of  South  America  has  attracted 
so  much  attention  as  the  lama,  as  it  was  the  only 
beast  of  burden  the  Indians  had  trained  to  their  use 
on  the  arrival  of  Europeans  in  that  country.  So 
many  strange  stories  were  told  by  the  earlier  Spanish 


60  LAMAS,    ALPACOS,    VICUNAS, 

travellers  regarding  this  "  camel  sheep  "  that  it  was 
natural  that  great  interest  should  attach  to  it.  These 
reported  that  the  lama  was  used  for  riding.  Such, 
however,  is  not  the  case.  It  is  only  trained  to  carry- 
burdens  ;  although  an  Indian  boy  may  be  sometimes 
seen  on  the  back  of  a  lama  for  mischief,  or  when 
crossing  a  stream  and  the  lad  does  not  wish  to  get 
his  feet  wet. 

The  lama  is  three  feet  high  from  hoof  to  shoulder, 
though  his  long  neck  makes  him  look  taller.  His 
color  is  generally  brown,  with  black  and  yellow 
shades,  sometimes  speckled  or  spotted  ;  and  there 
are  black  and  white  lamas  ;  but  these  are  rare.  His 
wool  is  long  and  coarse ;  though  the  females,  which 
are  smaller,  have  a  finer  and  better  wool.  The  latter 
are  never  used  to  carry  burdens,  but  only  kept  for 
breeding.  They  are  fed  in  flocks  upon  the  Puna 
heights ;  and  it  was  a  flock  of  these  that  our  travel- 
lers saw  near  the  hut. 

The  males  are  trained  to  carry  burdens  at  the  age 
of  four  years.  A  pack  saddle,  called  yergua,  woven 
out  of  coarse  wool,  is  fastened  on  the  back,  and  upon 
this  the  goods  are  placed.  The  burden  never  ex- 
ceeds one  hundred  and  twenty  or  one  hundred  and 
thirty  pounds.  Should  a  heavier  one  be  put  on,  the 
lama,  like  the  camel,  quite  understands  that  he 
is  "  overweighted,"  and  neither  coaxing  nor  beat* 
ing  will  induce  him  to  move  a  step.  He  will  lie 
down,  or,  if  much  vexed,  spit  angrily  at  his  driver , 
and  this  spittle  has  a  highly  acrid  property,  and  will 
cause  blisters  on  the  skin  where  it  touches.  Some- 
times a  lama,  overvexed  by  ill  treatment,  has  been 


AND    GUANAC0S.  61 

known,  in  despair,  to  dash  his  brains  out  against  a 
rock. 

The  lamas  are  used  much  in  the  mines  of  Peru 
for  carrying  the  ore.  They  frequently  serve  better 
than  either  asses  or  mules,  as  they  can  pass  up  and 
down  declivities  where  neither  ass  nor  mule  can 
travel.  They  are  sometimes  taken  in  long  trains 
from  the  mountains  down  to  the  coast  region  for  salt 
and  other  goods ;  but  on  such  occasions  many  of 
them  die,  as  they  cannot  bear  the  warm  climate  of 
the  lowlands.  Their  proper  and  native  place  is  on 
the  higher  plains  of  the  Andes. 

A  string  of  lamas,  when  on  a  journey,  is  a  very 
interesting  spectacle.  One  of  the  largest  is  usually 
the  leader.  The  rest  follow  in  single  file,  at  a  slow, 
measured  pace,  their  heads  ornamented  tastefully 
with  ribbons,  while  small  bells,  hanging  around  their 
necks,  tinkle  as  they  go.  They  throw  their  high 
heads  from  side  to  side,  gazing  around  them,  and 
when  frightened  at  any  thing  will  "  break  ranks " 
and  scamper  out  of  their  path,  to  be  collected  again 
with  some  trouble.  When  resting,  they  utter  a  low, 
humming  noise,  which  has  been  compared  to  the 
sound  of  an  jEolian  harp.  They  crouch  down  on 
their  breast  —  where  there  is  a  callosity  —  when 
about  to  receive  their  burdens,  and  also  sleep  resting 
in  the  same  attitude.  A  halt  during  the  day  is  neces- 
sary, in  order  that  they  may  be  fed;  as  these  animals 
will  not  eat  by  night.  In  consequence  of  this  they 
make  but  short  journeys,  —  ten  to  fifteen  miles, — 
although  they  will  travel  for  a  long  time,  allowing 
them  a  day's  rest  out  of  every  five  or  six.     Like  the 


62  LAMAS,    ALPAC0S,    VICUNAS, 

camels  of  the  East,  they  can  go  days  without  water 
and  Buffbn  knew  one  that  went  eighteen  months  with- 
out it ;  but  Buffbn  is  very  poor  authority.     When  one 
of  them  becomes  wearied  and  does  not  wish  to  pro- 
ceed, it  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  coax  him  onward. 

These  animals  were  at  one  time  very  valuable. 
On  the  discovery  of  America  a  lama  cost  as  much  as 
eighteen  or  twenty  dollars  ;  but  the  introduction  of 
mules  and  other  beasts  of  burden  has  considerably 
cheapened  them.  At  present  they  are  sold  for  about 
four  dollars  in  the  mining  districts,  but  can  be 
bought  where  they  are  bred  and  reared  for  half  that 
amount.  In  the  days  of  the  incas  their  flesh  was 
much  used  as  food.  It  is  still  eaten  ;  but  for  this 
purpose  the  common  sheep  is  preferred,  as  the  flesh 
of  the  lama  is  spongy  and  not  very  well  flavored.  The 
wool  is  used  for  many  sorts  of  coarse  manufacture. 
So  much  for  lamas.     Now  the  "  guanaco." 

This  animal  (whose  name  is  sometimes  written 
"  huanaca,"  though  the  pronunciation  is  the  same  with 
"  guanaco,"  or  "  guanaca  ")  is  larger  than  the  lama, 
and  for  a  long  time  was  considered  merely  as  the 
wild  lama,  or  the  lama  run  wild,  in  which  you  will 
perceive  an  essential  distinction.  It  is  neither,  but 
an  animal  of  specific  difference.  It  exists  in  a  wild 
state  in  the  high  mountains,  though  with  great  care 
and  trouble  it  can  be  domesticated  and  trained  ts 
carry  burdens  as  well  as  its  congener  the  lama.  In 
form  it  resembles  the  latter  ;  but,  as  is  the  case  with 
most  wild  animals,  the  guanacos  are  all  alike  in 
color.  The  upper  parts  of  the  body  are  of  a  reddish 
brown,  while   underneath  it  is  a  dirty  white.    The 


AND    GUANACOS.  63 

lips  are  white  and  the  face  of  a  dark  gray.  The 
wool  is  shorter  than  that  of  the  lama,  and  of  the  same 
length  all  over  the  body.  The  guanaco  lives  in  herds 
of  five  or  seven  individuals ;  and  these  are  very  shy, 
fleeing  to  the  most  inaccessible  cliffs  when  any  one 
approaches  them.  Like  the  chamois  of  Switzerland 
and  the  "  bighorn"  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  they  can 
glide  along  steep  ledges  where  neither  men  nor  dogs 
can  find  footing. 

The  "  alpaco,"  or  "  paco,"  as  it  is  sometimes 
called,  is  one  of  the  most  useful  of  the  Peruvian 
sheep,  and  is  more  like  the  common  sheep  than  the 
others.  This  arises  from  its  bulkier  shape,  caused 
by  its  thick  fleece  of  long  wool.  The  latter  is  soft, 
fine,  and  often  five  inches  in  length,  and,  as  is  well 
known,  has  become  an  important  article  in  the  man- 
ufacture of  cloth.  Its  color  is  usually  either  white 
or  black,  though  there  are  some  of  the  alpacos 
speckled  or  spotted.  Ponchos  are  woven  out  of 
alpaco  wool  by  the  Indians  of  the  Andes. 

The  alpaco  is  a  domesticated  animal,  like  the 
lama  ;  but  it  is  not  used  for  carrying  burdens.  It  is 
kept  in  large  flocks,  and  regularly  shorn  as  sheep 
are.  If  one  of  the  alpacos  gets  separated  from  the 
flock,  it  will  lie  down  and  suffer  itself  to  be  beaten  to 
death  rather  than  go  the  way  its  driver  wishes.  You 
have  no  doubt  sometimes  seen  a  common  sheep  ex- 
hibit similar  obstinacy. 

Of  all  the  Peruvian  sheep  the  vicuna  is  certainly 
the  prett.est  and  most  graceful.  It  has  more  the 
form  cf  the  deer  or  antelope  than  of  the  sheep  ;  and 


64  LAMAS,   ALPACOS,    VICUNAS, 

its  iolor  is  so  striking  that  it  has  obtained  among  the 
Peruvians  the  name  of  the  animal  itself — color  de 
vicuna,  (vicuna  color.)  It  is  of  a  reddish  yellow,  not 
unlike  that  of  our  domestic  red  cat,  although  the 
breast  and  under  parts  of  the  body  are  white.  The 
flesh  of  the  vicuna  is  excellent  eating,  and  its  wool  is 
of  more  value  than  even  that  of  the  alpaco.  Where 
a  pound  of  the  former  sells  for  one  dollar,  —  which 
is  the  usual  price,  —  the  pound  of  alpaco  will  fetch 
only  a  quarter  of  that  sum.  Hats  and  the  finest 
fabrics  can  be  woven  from  the  fleece  of  the  vicuna , 
and  the  incas  used  to  clothe  themselves  in  rich  stuffs 
manufactured  from  it.  In  the  present  day  the  "  ricos," 
or  rich  proprietors  of  Peru,  pride  themselves  in  pos- 
sessing ponchos  of  vicuna  wool. 

The  vicuna  inhabits  the  high  plains  of  the  Andes, 
though,  unlike  the  guanaco,  it  rarely  ventures  up  the 
rocky  cliffs,  as  its  hoofs  are  only  calculated  for  the 
soft  turf  of  the  plains.  It  roams  about  in  larger 
herds  than  the  other  —  eighteen  or  twenty  in  the 
herd  ;  and  these  are  usually  females  under  the  pro- 
tection and  guidance  of  one  polygamous  old  male. 
While  feeding,  the  latter  keeps  watch  over  the  flock, 
usually  posting  himself  at  some  distance,  so  that  he 
may  have  a  better  opportunity  of  seeing  and  hearing 
any  danger  that  may  approach.  When  any  is  per- 
ceived, a  shrill  whistle  from  the  leader  and  a  quick 
stroke  of  his  hoof  on  the  turf  warn  the  flock,  and  all 
draw  closely  together,  each  stretching  out  its  head 
in  the  direction  of  the  danger.  They  then  take  to 
flight,  at  first  slowly,  but  afterwards  with  the  swift- 


AND    GUANACOS.  65 

ness  of  the  roe  ;  while  the  male,  true  to  his  trust, 
hangs  in  the  rear  and  halts  at  intervals,  as  if  to  cover 
/he  retreat  of  the  herd. 

The  lama,  guanaco,  alpaco,  and  vicuna,  although 
different  species,  will  breed  with  each  other  ;  and  it 
is  certain  that  some  of  their  hybrids  will  again  pro- 
duce young.  There  exist,  therefore,  many  interme- 
diate varieties,  or  "  mules,"  throughout  the  countries 
of  the  Andes,  some  of  which  have  been  mistaken  for 

separate  species. 

ft 


66  A  VICUNA   HUNT. 


CHAPTER  IX, 


A  VICUNA  HUNT. 


The  vicuna,  being  of  such  value  both  inside  and 
out,  both  in  flesh  and  wool,  is  hunted  by  the  mountain 
Indians  with  great  assiduity.  It  is  an  animal  most 
difficult  to  approach,  and  there  is  rarely  any  cover 
on  these  naked  plains  by  which  to  approach  it. 

The  chief  mode  of  capturing  it  is  by  the  "  chacu.'* 
This  cannot  be  effected  by  a  single  hunter.  A  great 
number  is  required.  Usually  the  whole  population 
of  one  of  the  villages  of  the  "  Sierras"  lower  down 
turns  out  for  this  sport,  or  rather  business ;  for  it  is 
an  animal  source  of  profit.  Even  the  women  go 
along,  to  cook  and  perform  other  offices,  as  the  hunt 
of  the  chacu  sometimes  lasts  a  week  or  more. 

A  hunting  party  will  number  from  fifty  to  one 
hundred  persons.  They  climb  up  to  the  altos,  or 
high  and  secluded  plains,  where  the  vicuna  dwells  in 
greatest  numbers.  They  carry  with  them  immense 
coils  of  ropes  and  a  large  quantity  of  colored  rags, 
together  with  bundles  of  stakes  three  or  four  feet  in 
length.  When  a  proper  part  of  the  plain  has  been 
chosen  they  drive  in  the  stakes  four  or  five  yards 
apart  and  running  in  the  circumference  of  a  circle, 
sometimes  nearly  a  mile  in  diameter.     A  rope  is  then 


A.   VICUNA    HUNT.  67 

stretched  from  stake  to  stake,  at  the  height  of  between 
two  and  three  feet  from  the  ground,  and  over  this 
rope  are  hung  the  colored  rags  provided  for  the  oc- 
casion, and  which  keep  fluttering  in  the  wind.  A 
sort  of  scarecrow  fence  is  thus  constructed  in  the 
form  of  a  ring,  except  that  on  one  side  a  space  of 
about  two  hundred  yards  is  left  open  to  serve  as  an 
entrance  for  the  game.  The  Indians  then,  most  of 
them  on  horseback,  make  a  grand  detour,  extending 
for  miles  over  the  country,  and,  having  got  behind 
the  herds  of  vicunas,  drive  them  within  the  circle, 
and  close  up  the  entrance  by  completing  the  ring. 
The  hunters  then  go  inside,  and,  using  the  bolas,  or 
even  seizing  the  animals  by  their  hind  legs,  soon 
capture  the  whole.  Strange  to  say,  these  silly  crea- 
tures make  no  attempt  to  break  through  the  sham 
fence,  nor  even  to  leap  over  it.  Not  so  with  the 
guanacos  when  so  enclosed.  The  latter  spring 
against  the  fence  at  once  ;  and  if,  by  chance,  a  party 
of  guanacos  be  driven  in  along  with  the  vicunas,  they 
not  only  break  open  the  rope  enclosure  and  free 
themselves,  but  also  the  whole  herd  of  their  cousins 
the  vicunas.  It  is,  therefore,  not  considered  any  gain 
to  get  a  flock  of  guanacos  into  the  trap. 

The  hunt  usually  lasts  several  days ;  but  during 
that  time  the  enclosure  of  ropes  is  flitted  from  place 
to  place  until  no  more  vicunas  can  be  found.  Then 
the  ropes,  stakes,  &c,  are  collected,  and  the  produce 
of  the  hunt  distributed  among  the  hunters.  But  the 
church  levies  its  tax  upon  the  "  chacu,"  and  the 
skins  —  worth  a  dollar  each  —  have  to  be  given  up 
to  the  priest  of  the  village.     A  good  round"  sum  thia 


68  A   VICUNA   HUNT. 

amounts  to,  as  frequently  four  or  five  hundred  vicunas 
are  taken  at  a  single  chacu. 

A  good  hunter  is  sometimes  able  to  "approach" 
the  vicuna.  Guapo's  friend  was  esteemed  one  of  the 
best  in  all  the  Puna.  The  sight  of  the  herd  out  on 
the  plain,  with  their  graceful  forms  and  beautiful  red- 
dish-orange bodies,  was  too  much  for  him  ;  and  he 
resolved  to  try  his  skill  upon  them.  He  said  he  had 
a  plan  of  his  own,  which  he  intended  to  practise  on 
this  occasion. 

Don  Pablo  and  his  party  —  even  Dona  Isidora  and 
the  little  Leona — were  all  outside  the  hut,  although 
the  morning  air  was  raw  and  chill.  But  the  domicile 
of  the  worthy  vaquero  was  not  empty  for  all  that 
It  was  peopled  by  a  very  large  colony  of  very  small 
animals,  and  a  night  in  their  society  had  proved 
enough  for  the  travellers.  The  chill  air  of  the  Puna 
was  even  more  endurable  than  such  company. 

The  vaquero  crawled  back  into  the  hut,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  returned,  .Jbut  so  metamorphosed  that 
had  the  party  not  seen  him  come  out  of  the  doorway 
they  would  have  mistaken  him  for  a  lama.  He  was 
completely  disguised  in  the  skin  of  one  of  these  ani- 
mals. His  face  only  was  partly  visible,  and  his  eyes 
looked  out  of  the  breast.  The  head  and  neck  of  the 
skin,  stuffed  with  some  light  substance,  stood  up  and 
forward  after  the  manner  of  the  living  animal ;  and 
although  the  legs  were  a  little  clumsy,  yet  it  would 
have  required  a  more  intelligent  creature  than  the 
vicuna  to  have  observed  this  defect. 

All  hands,  even  the  saturnine  Guapo,  laughed 
loudly  at  the  counterfeit;   and  the  vaquero  himself 


A    VICUNA   HUNT.  69 

was  heard  to  chuckle  through  the  long  wool  upon  the 
breast.  He  did  not  lose  time,  however,  but  instantly 
prepared  to  set  off.  He  needed  no  other  preparation 
than  to  get  hold  of  his  bolas —  that  was  his  favorite 
weapon.  Before  going  farther,  I  shall  tell  you  what 
sort  of  weapon  it  is. 

The  bolas  consists  of  three  balls  —  hence  the  name 
—  of  lead*  or  stone,  two  of  them  heavier  than  the 
third.  Each  ball  is  fastened  to  the  end  of  a  stout 
thong  made  of  twisted  sinews  of  the  vicuna  itself, 
and  the  other  ends  of  the  three  thongs  are  joined  to- 
gether. In  using  them  the  hunter  holds  the  lightest 
ball  in  his  hand,  and  twirls  the  other  two  in  circles 
around  his  head  until  they  have  attained  the  proper 
velocity,  when  he  takes  aim  and  launches  them  forth. 
Through  the  air  fly  the  thongs  and  balls,  and  all 
whirling  round  in  circles,  until  they  strike  some  ob- 
ject; and  if  that  object  be  the  legs  of  an  animal,  the 
thongs  become  immediately  warped  around  them,  un- 
til the  animal  is  regularly  hoppled,  and  in  attempting 
to  escape  comes  at  once  to  the  ground.  Of  course 
great  practice  is  required  before  such  an  instrument 
can  be  used  skilfully  ;  and  to  the  novice  there  is  some 
danger  of  one  of  the  balls  hitting  him  a  crack  on  the 
head,  and  knocking  over  himself  instead  of  the  game. 
But  there  was  no  danger  of  Guapo's  friend  the  vaque- 
ro  committing  this  blunder.  He  had  been  swinging 
the  bolas  around  his  head  for  more  than  forty  years ! 

Without  more  ado,  then,  he  seized  the  weapon ; 
and,  having  gathered  it  with  his  fore  feet  into  a  por- 
table shape,  he  proceeded  in  the  direction  of  the 
vicunas. 


70  A    VICUNA    HUNT. 

The  travellers  remained  by  the  hut,  watching  him 
with  interest ;  but  his  movements  were  particularly 
interesting  to  Leon,  who,  like  all  boys,  was  naturally 
fond  of  such  enterprises. 

The  herd  of  vicunas  was  not  more  than  three 
quarters  of  a  mile  off.  For  the  first  half  of  this  dis- 
tance  the  vaquero  shambled  along  right  speedily ; 
but  as  he  drew  nearer  to  the  animals  he  proceeded 
slower  and  with  more  caution. 

The  pretty  creatures  were  busily  browsing,  and  had 
no  fear.  They  knew  they  were  well  guarded  by  their 
faithful  sentinel,  in  whom  they  had  every  confidence 
—  the  lord  and  leader  of  the  herd.  Even  from  the 
hut,  this  one  could  be  seen  standing  some  distance 
apart  from  the  rest.  He  was  easily  recognized  by 
his  greater  bulk  and  prouder  bearing. 

The  false  lama  has  passed  near  the  guanacos,  and 
they  have  taken  no  heed  of  him.  This  is  a  good 
omen ;  for  the  guanacos  are  quite  as  sharp  and  shy 
as  their  smaller  cousins,  and  since  he  has  succeeded 
in  deceiving  them,  he  will  likely  do  the  same  for  the 
vicunas.  Already  he  approaches  them.  He  does 
not  make  for  the  herd,  but  directly  for  the  leader. 
Surely  he  is  near  enough  ;  from  the  hut  he  seems 
close  up  to  the  creature.  See  !  the  vicuna  tosses  his 
head  and  strikes  the  ground  with  his  hoof.  Listen  !  it 
is  his  shrill  whistle.  The  scattered  herd  suddenly 
start  and  flock  together ;  but  look  !  the  lama  stands 
erect  on  his  hind  legs  ;  the  bolas  whirl  around  his 
head  —  they  are  launched  out.  Ha  !  the  vicuna  is 
down ! 

Where  is  the  female    drove  ?     Have   they  scam- 


A    VICUNA    HUNT.  71 

pered  off  and  forsaken  their  lord  ?  No  !  faithful  as  a 
loving  wife,  they  run  up  to  share  his  danger.  With 
shrill  cries  they  gather  around  him,  moving  to  and 
fro.  The  lama  is  in  their  midst.  See  !  he  is  deal- 
ing blows  with  some  weapon  —  it  is  a  knife  !  his  vic- 
tims fall  around  him  —  one  at  every  blow ;  one  by 
one  they  are  falling.  At  last,  at  last  they  are  all 
down  —  yes,  the  whole  herd  are  stretched,  dead  or 
dying,  upon  the  plain  ! 

The  struggle  is  over ;  no  sound  is  heard,  save  the 
hoof  stroke  of  the  guanacos,  lamas,  and  alpacos,  that 
cover  the  plain  in  their  wild  flight. 

Leon  could  no  longer  restrain  his  curiosity,  but 
ran  off  to  the  scene  of  the  slaughter.  There  he 
counted  no  less  than  nineteen  vicunas  lying  dead, 
each  one  stabbed  in  the  ribs  !  The  Indian  assured 
him  that  it  was  not  the  first  battue  of  the  kind  he  had 
made.  A  whole  herd  of  vicunas  is  often  taken  in 
this  way.  When  the  male  is  wounded  or  killed,  the 
females  will  not  leave  him  ;  but,  as  if  out  of  gratitude 
for  the  protection  he  has  during  life  afforded  them, 
they  share  his  fate  without  making  an  effort  to 
escape ! 


72  CAPTURING    A    CONDOR. 


CHAPTER   X. 
CAPTURING  A  CONDOR. 

The  vaquero  with  his  horse  soon  dragged  the 
vicunas  to  the  hut.  Guapo  gave  him  a  help  with  the 
mule,  and  in  a  few  minutes  they  were  all  brought  up. 
One  of  them  was  immediately  skinned,  and  part  of 
it  prepared  for  breakfast,  and  our  travellers  ate  heart- 
ily of  it,  as  the  cold  Puna  air  had  given  an  edge  to 
their  appetites. 

The  new-killed  animals,  along  with  the  red  skin 
of  the  bull,  which  had  been  spread  out  on  the  ground 
at  some  distance  from  the  hut,  had  already  attracted 
the  condors  ;  and  four  or  five  of  these  great  birds 
were  now  seen  hovering  in  the  air,  evidently  with 
the  intention  of  alighting  at  the  first  opportunity. 

An  idea  seemed  to  enter  the  head  of  the  vaquero, 
while  his  guests  were  still  at  breakfast,  and  he  asked 
Leon  if  he  would  like  to  see  a  condor  caught.  Of 
course  Leon  replied  in  the  affirmative.  What  boy 
wouldn't  like  to  see  a  condor  caught  ? 

The  vaquero  said  he  would  gratify  him  with  the 
sight,  and  without  staying  to  finish  his  breakfast  — 
indeed  he  had  had  his  "  coceada,"  and  didn't  care 
for  any  —  he  started  to  his  feet,  and  began  to  make 
preparations  for  the  capture. 

How  he  was  to  catch   one  of  these  great  birds, 


CAPTURING    A    CONDOR.  73 

Leon  had  not  the  slightest  idea.  Perhaps  with  the 
■'  boiaa,"  thought  he.  That  would  have  done'  well 
enough  if  he  could  only  get  near  them  ;  but  the  con- 
aors  were  sufficiently  shy  not  to  let  any  man  come 
within  reach  either  with  bolas  or  guns.  It  is  only 
when  they  have  been  feasting  on  carrion,  and  have 
gorged  themselves  to  repletion,  that  they  can  be  thus 
approached ;  and  then  they  may  be  even  knocked 
•aver  with  sticks. 

At  other  times  the  condor  is  a  shy  and  wary  bird 
Nu  wonder  either  that  he  is  so  ;  for,  unlike  most  other 
vultures,  he  is  hunted  and  killed  at  all  times.  The 
vultures  of  most  countries  are  respected  by  the  peo- 
ple, because  they  perform  a  valuable  service  in  clear- 
ing away  carrion  ;  and  in  many  parts  these  birds 
are  protected  by  statute.  There  are  laws  in  the 
Southern  United  States,  and  in  several  of  the  Spanish 
American  republics,  which  impose  fines  and  penal- 
ties for  killing  the  black  vultures,  (Cathartes  aura 
and  C.  atratus.)  In  some  Oriental  countries,  too, 
similar  laws  exist.  But  no  statute  protects  the  con- 
dor. On  the  contrary,  he  is  a  proscribed  bird,  and 
there  is  a  bounty  on  his  head,  because  he  does  great 
damage  to  the  proprietors  of  sheep,  and  lamas,  and 
alpacos,  killing  and  devouring  the  young  of  these  an 
imals.  His  large  quills,  moreover,  are  much  prized 
in  the  South  American  cities,  and  the  killing  of  a 
condor  is  worth  something.  All  this  will  account  for 
the  shyness  of  this  great  bird,  while  other  vultures 
are  usually  so  tame  that  you  may  approach  within  a 
few  paces  of  them. 

As  yet  the  half  dozen  condors  hovering  about  kept 


74  CAPTURING   A    CONDOR. 

well  off  from  the  hut ;  and  Leon  could  not  understand 
how  any  one  of  them  was  to  be  caught. 

The  vaquero,  however,  had  a  good  many  "  dodges," 
and  after  the  ruse  he  had  just  practised  upon  the 
vicufias,  Leon  suspected  he  would  employ  some  sim- 
ilar artifice  with  the  condors.  Leon  was  right.  It 
was  by  a  stratagem  the  bird  was  to  be  taken. 

The  vaquero  laid  hold  of  a  long  rope,  and  lifting 
the  bull's  hide  upon  his  shoulders,  asked  Guapo  to 
follow  him  with  the  two  horses.  When  he  had  got 
out  some  four  or  five  hundred  yards  from  the  hut,  he 
simply  spread  himself  flat  upon  the  ground,  and  drew 
the  skin  over  him,  the  fleshy  side  turned  upward. 
There  was  a  hollow  in  the  ground  about  as  big  as  his 
body  —  in  fact,  a  trench  he  had  himself  made  for  a 
former  occasion  —  and  when  lying  in  this  on  his 
back,  his  breast  was  about  on  a  level  with  the  sur- 
rounding turf.  His  object  in  asking  Guapo  to  accom- 
pany him  with  the  horses  was  simply  a  ruse  to  de- 
ceive the  condors,  who  from  their  high  elevation  were 
all  the  while  looking  down  upon  the  plain.  But  the 
vaquero  covered  himself  so  adroitly  with  his  red 
blanket,  that  even  their  keen  eyes  could  scarce!) 
have  noticed  him  ;  and  as  Guapo  afterwards  left  the 
ground  with  the  led  horses,  the  vultures  supposed  that 
nothing  remained  but  the  skin,  which  from  its  san- 
guinary color  to  them  appeared  to  be  flesh. 

The  birds  had  now  nothing  to  fear  from  the  piw 
pinquity  of  the  hut.     There  the  party  were  all  seated 
quietly  eating  their  breakfast,  and  apparently  taking 
no  notice  of  them.     In  a  few  minutes'  time,  there 
fore,  they  descended  lower,  and  lower,  —  and  thei 


CAPTURING   A    CONDOR.  75 

one  of  the  very  largest  dropped  upon  the  ground 
within  a  few  feet  of  the  hide.  After  surveying  it  for 
a  moment,  he  appeared  to  see  nothing  suspicious 
about  it,  and  hopped  a  little  closer.  Another  at  this 
moment  came  to  the  ground  —  which  gave  courage 
to  the  first  —  and  this  at  length  stalked  boldly  on  the 
hide,  and  began  to  tear  at  it  with  his  great  beak. 

A  movement  was  now  perceived  on  the  part  of  the 
vaquero  —  the  hide  "  lumped  "  up,  and  at  the  same 
time  the  wings  of  the  condor  were  seen  to  play  and 
flap  about  as  if  he  wanted  to  rise  into  the  air,  but 
could  not.     He  was  evidently  held  by  the  legs  ! 

The  other  bird  had  flown  off  at  the  first  alarm,  and 
the  whole  band  were  soon  soaring  far  upward  into 
the  blue  heavens. 

Leon  now  expected  to  see  the  vaquero  uncover 
himself.  Not  so,  however,  as  yet.  That  wily  hunt- 
er had  no  such  intention ;  and  although  he  was  now 
in  a  sitting  posture,  grasping  the  legs  of  the  condor, 
yet  his  head  and  shoulders  were  still  enveloped  in  the 
bull's  hide.  He  knew  better  than  to  show  his  naked 
face  to  the  giant  vulture,  that  at  a  single  "  peck  "  of 
his  powerful  beak  would  have  deprived  him  of  an 
eye,  or  otherwise  injured  him  severely.  The  vaque- 
ro was  aware  of  all  this,  and  therefore  did  not  leave 
his  hiding-place  until  he  had  firmly  knotted  one  end 
of  the  long  cord  around  the  shank  of  the  bird  —  then 
slipping  out  at  one  side,  he  ran  off  to  some  distance 
before  stopping.  The  condor,  apparently  relieved 
of  his  disagreeable  company,  made  a  sudden  effort, 
and  rose  into  the  air,  carrying  the  hide  after  him. 
Leon  shouted  out,  for  he  thought  the  vulture  had  es- 


76  CAPTURING    A    CONDOK. 

caped  ;  but  the  vaquero  knew  better,  as  he  held  the 
other  end  of  the  cord  in  his  hand  ;  and  the  bird,  part- 
ly from  the  weight  of  the  skin,  and  partly  from  a 
slight  tug  given  by  the  hunter,  soon  came  heavily  to 
the  ground  again.  The  vaquero  was  now  joined  by 
Guapo ;  and,  after  some  sharp  manoeuvring,  they 
succeeded  between  them  in  passing  the  string  through 
the  nostrils  of  the  condor,  by  which  means  it  was 
quietly  conducted  to  the  hut,  and  staked  on  the  ground 
in  the  rear  —  to  be  disposed  of  whenever  its  captoj 
should  think  fit. 


THE  PERILS  OF  A  PERUVIAN  ROAD.       77 


CHAPTER  XI. 
THE  PERILS  OF  A  PERUVIAN  ROAD. 

It  was  as  yet  only  an  hour  or  so  after  daybreak  — 
for  the  vicuna  hunt  had  occupied  but  a  very  short 
time,  and  the  capture  of  the  condor  a  still  shorter. 
Don  Pablo  was  anxious  to  be  gone,  as  he  knew  he 
was  not  beyond  the  reach  of  pursuit.  A  pair  of  the 
vicunas  were  hastily  prepared,  and  packed  upon  a 
lama  for  use  upon  their  journey.  Thus  furnished, 
the  party  resumed  their  route. 

The  vaquero  did  not  accompany  them.  He  had 
an  office  to  perform  of  far  more  importance  to  their 
welfare  and  safety.  As  soon  as  they  were  gone  he 
let  loose  his  four  snarling  curs,  and  taking  them  out 
to  where  the  pile  of  dead  vicunas  lay  upon  the  plain, 
he  left  them  there  with  instructions  to  guard  the  car- 
r-^~es  from  foxes,  condors,  or  whatever  else  migh 
wish  to  make  a  meal  off  them.  Then  mounting,  he 
rode  off  to  the  place  where  the  road  leading  from 
Cuzco  ascended  upon  the  table  land,  and  having  tied 
his  horse  to  a  bush,  he  climbed  upon  a  projecting 
rock  and  sat  down.  From  this  point  he  commanded 
a  view  of  the  winding  road  to  the  distance  of  miles 
below  him.  No  traveller  —  much  less  a  party  of 
soldiers  —  could  approach  without  his  seeing  them, 
even  many  hours  before  they  could  get  up  to  where 


78  THE    PERILS    OF    A    PERUVIAN    ROAD. 

he  sat ;  and  it  was  for  that  reason  he  had  stationed 
himself  there.  Had  Don  Pablo  been  pursued,  the 
faithful  Indian  would  have  galloped  after  and  given 
him  warning,  long  before  his  pursuers  could  have 
reached  the  plain. 

He  sat  until  sunset  —  contenting  himself  with  a 
few  leaves  of  coca.  No  pursuer  appeared  in  sight. 
Hs  then  mounted  his  horse,  and  rode  back  to  his 
solitary  hut. 

Let  us  follow  our  travellers. 

They  crossed  the  table  plain  during  the  day,  and 
rested  that  night  under  the  shelter  of  some  overhang- 
ing rocks  on  the  other  side.  They  supped  upon  part 
of  the  vicunas,  and  felt  more  cheerful,  as  they  wi- 
dened the  distance  between  themselves  and  danger. 
But  in  the  morning  they  did  not  remain  longer  by 
their  camp  than  was  necessary  to  get  breakfast.  Half 
an  hour  after  sunrise  saw  them  once  more  on  their 
route. 

Their  road  led  through  a  pass  in  the  mountains. 
At  first  it  ascended,  and  then  began  to  go  downward. 
They  had  crossed  the  last  ridge  of  the  Andes,  and 
were  now  descending  the  eastern  slopes.  Another 
day's  journey,  or  two  at  most,  would  bring  them  to 
the  borders  of  that  wild  forest,  which  stretches  from 
the  foot  hills  of  the  Andes  to  the  shores  of  the  Atlan- 
tic Ocean  —  that  forest  with  scarcely  a  civilized  set- 
tlement throughout  all  its  wide  extent  —  where  no 
roads  exist  —  whose  only  paths  are  rivers  —  whose 
dark  jungles  are  in  places  so  impenetrable  that  the 
Indian  cannot  enter  them,  and  even  the  fierce  jaguar, 
embarrassed  by  the  thick  underwood,  has  to  take  to 


THE  PERILS  OF  A  PERUVIAN  ROAD.       79 

the  tree  tops  in  pursuit  of  his  prey.  Another  day's 
journey  or  j.o  'vould  bring  them  to  the  borders  of  the 
"  Montana  ,v  --  for  such  is  the  name  which,  by  a 
strange  mr  .replication  of  terms,  has  been  given  to 
this  primeval  wood.  Yes,  the  Montana  was  before 
them,  and  although  yet  distant,  it  could  now  and  then 
be  seen  ar>  the  road  wound  among  the  rocks,  stretch- 
ing far  towards  the  sky  like  a  green  and  misty  ocean. 

In  that  almost  boundless  region  there  dwelt  none 
but  me  aborigines  of  the  soil  —  the  wild  Indians  — 
and  these  only  in  sparse  and  distant  bands.  Even 
the  Spaniards  in  their  day  of  glory  had  failed  to  con- 
quer it ;  and  the  Portuguese  from  the  other  side  were 
not  more  successful.  Here  and  there  a  lone  mission- 
ary attempted  to  wheedle  the  simple  natives  into  a 
belief  in  his  monkish  religion,  or,  when  able  to  do  so, 
forced  it  upon  them  by  fire  and  sword.  But  most  of 
these  efforts,  both  of  conquest  and  conversion,  had 
failed  ;  and  now,  with  the  exception  of  some  isolated 
trading  post,  or  decayed  mission  station,  on  the  banks 
of  the  great  rivers,  the  whole  "Montana"  was  as 
wild  and  savage  as  when  the  keels  of  Columbus  first 
ploughed  the  waters  of  the  Carib  Sea. 

The  Spanish  colonists,  on  the  Peruvian  or  western 
border  of  this  immense  forest,  had  never  been  able 
to  penetrate  it  as  colonists  or  settlers.  Expeditions 
from  time  to  time  had  passed  along  its  rivers  in  search 
of  the  fabled  gold  country  of  Manoa,  whose  king 
each  morning  gave  himself  a  coating  of  gold  dust, 
and  was  hencfc  called  El  Dorado,  (the  gilded  ; )  but 
all  these  expeditions  ended  in  mortification  and  de- 
feat.     The  settlements  never  extended  beyond  the 


80  THE    PERILS    OF    A    PERUVIAN    ROAD. 

sierras,  or  foot  hills  of  the  Andes,  which  stretch  only 
a  few  days'  journey  (in  some  places  but  a  score  of 
leagues)  from  the  populous  cities  on  the  mountain 
heights.  Even  at  this  present  time,  if  you  travel 
thirty  leagues  eastward  of  the  large  town  of  Cuzco, 
in  the  direction  taken  by  Don  Pablo,  you  will  pass 
the  boundaries  of  civilization,  and  enter  a  country 
unexplored  and  altogether  unknown  to  the  people  of 
Cuzco  themselves.  About  the  "  Montana  "  very  little 
is  known  in  the  settlements  of  the  Andes.  Fierce 
tribes  of  Indians,  the  jaguar,  the  vampire  bat,  swarms 
of  mosquitoes,  and  the  hot  atmosphere,  have  kept 
the  settler,  as  well  as  the  curious  traveller,  out  of 
these  wooded  plains. 

Don  Pablo  had  already  passed  the  outskirts  of 
civilization.  Any  settlement  he  might  find  beyond 
would  be  the  hut  of  some  half-wild  Indian.  There 
was  no  fear  of  his  encountering  a  white  face  upon 
the  unfrequented  path  he  had  chosen,  though  had  he 
gone  by  some  other  route  he  might  have  found  white 
settlements  extending  farther  to  the  eastward.  As  it 
was,  the  wilderness  lay  before  him,  and  he  would 
soon  enter  it. 

And  what  icas  he  to  do  in  the  wilderness  ?  He 
knew  not.  He  had  never  reflected  on  that.  He  only 
knew  that  behind  him  was  a  relentless  foe  thirsting 
for  his  life.  To  go  back  was  to  march  to  certain 
death.  He  had  no  thoughts  of  returning.  That 
would  have  been  madness.  His  property  was  al- 
ready confiscated  —  his  death  decreed  by  the  venge- 
ful viceroy,  whose  soldiers  had  orders  to  capture  or 
slay,  wherever  they  should  find  him.     His  only  hope 


THE  PERILS  OF  A  PERUVIAN  ROAD.       8l 

then,  was  to  escape  beyond  the  borders  of  civiliza- 
tion —  to  hide  himself  in  the  great  "  Montana."  Be- 
yond this  he  had  formed  no  plan.  He  had  scarcely 
thought  about  the  future.  Forward,  then,  for  the 
"  Montana." 

The  road  which  our  travellers  followed  was  noth- 
ing more  than  a  narrow  path,  or  "  trail "  formed  by 
cattle,  or  by  some  party  of  Indians  occasionally  pass- 
ing up  from  the  lower  valleys  to  the  mountain  heights. 
It  lay  along  the  edge  of  a  torrent  that  leaped  and 
foamed  over  its  rocky  bed.  The  torrent  was  no 
doubt  on  its  way  to  join  the  greatest  of  rivers,  the 
mighty  Amazon  —  the  head  waters  of  which  spring 
from  all  parts  of  the  Andes,  draining  the  slopes  of 
these  mountains  through  more  than  twenty  degrees 
cf  latitude. 

Towards  evening- the  little  party  were  beginning  to 
enter  among  the  mountain  spurs,  or  foot  hills.  Here 
the  travelling  grew  exceedingly  difficult,  the  path 
sometimes  running  up  a  steep  acclivity,  and  then  de- 
scending into  deep  ravines  —  so  deep  and  dark  that 
the  sun's  rays  seemed  hardly  to  enter  them.  The 
road  was  what  Spanish  Americans  term  "  Cuesta 
arriba,  cuesta  abajo"  (up  hill,  down  hill.) 

In  no  part  of  the  world  are  such  roads  to  be  met 
with  as  among  the  Andes  Mountains, both  in  Sou'.u 
America  and  in  their  Mexican  continuation  through 
the  northern  division  of  the  continent.  This  arises 
from  the  peculiar  geological  structure  of  these  moun- 
tains. Vast  clefts  traverse  them,  yawning  far  into  the 
earth.  In  South  America  these  are  called  quebradas. 
You  may  stand  on  the  edge  of  one  of  them  and  look 
6 


82       THE  PERILS  OF  A  PERUVIAN  ROAD. 

sheer  down  a  precipice  two  thousand  feet.  You  may 
fancy  a  whole  mountain  scooped  out  and  carried 
away,  and  yet  you  may  have  to  reach  the  bottom  of 
this  yawning  gulf  by  a  road  which  seems  cut  out  of 
the  face  of  the  cliff,  or  rather  has  been  formed  by  a 
freak  of  Nature  —  for  in  these  countries  the  hand  of 
man  has  done  but  little  for  the  roads.  Sometimes 
the  path  traverses  a  ledge  so  narrow  that  scarce  room 
is  found  for  the  feet  of  your  trusty  mule.  Sometimes 
a  hanging  bridge  has  to  be  crossed,  spanning  a  hor- 
rid chasm,  at  the  bottom  of  which  roars  a  foaming 
torrent  —  the  bridge  itself,  composed  of  ropes  and 
brambles,  all  the  while  swinging  like  a  hammock 
under  the  tread  of  the  affrighted  traveller. 

He  who  journeys  through  the  tame  scenery  of  Eu- 
ropean countries  can  form  but  little  idea  of  the  wild 
and  dangerous  highways  of  the  Andes.  Even  the 
passes  of  the  Alps  or  Carpathians  are  safe  in  com- 
parison. On  the  Peruvian  road  the  lives  of  men  and 
animals  are  often  sacrificed.  Mules  slide  from  the 
narrow  ledges,  or  break  through  the  frail  "soga" 
bridges,  carrying  their  riders  along  with  them,  whirl- 
ing through  empty  air  to  be  plunged  into  foaming 
waters  or  dashed  on  sharp  rocks  below.  These  are 
accidents  of  continual  occurrence;  and  yet,  on  ac- 
count of  the  apathy  of  the  Spano-Indian  races  that  in- 
habit these  countries,  little  is  done  for  either  roads  or 
bridges.  Every  one  is  left  to  take  care  of  himself, 
and  get  over  them  as  he  best  may.  It  is  only  now 
and  then  that  positive  necessity  prompts  to  a  great 
effort,  and  then  a  road  is  repaired  or  a  broken  bridge 
patched  with  new  ropes. 


THE  PERILS  OF  A  PERUVIAN  ROAD.       83 

But  the  road  that  was  travelled  by  Don  Pablo  had 
seen  no  repairs  —  there  were  no  bridges.  It  was,  in 
fact,  a  mere  pathway,  where  the  traveller  scrambled 
over  rocks,  or  plunged  into  the  stream,  and  forded  or 
swam  across  it  as  he  best  could.  Sometimes  it  lay 
along  the  water's  edge,  keeping  in  the  bottom  of  the 
ravine  ;  at  other  places  no  space  was  left  by  the  wa- 
ter, and  then  the  path  ascended  and  ran  along  some 
ledge  perhaps  for  miles,  at  the  end  of  which  it  would 
again  descend  to  the  bed  of  the  stream. 


84  ENCOUNTER   UPON    A    CLIFF. 


CHAPTER   XII. 
ENCOUNTEK  UPON  A  CLIFF. 

That  night  they  encamped  in  the  bottom  of  the 
ravine,  close  to  the  water's  edge.  They  found  just 
enough  of  level  ground  to  enable  them  to  stretch 
themselves  ;  but  they  were  contented  with  that. 
There  was  nothing  for  the  animals  to  eat  except  the 
succulent  but  thorny  leaves  of  the  Cactus  opuntia,  or 
the  more  fibrous  blades  of  the  wild  agave.  This 
evening  there  were  no  quifioa  seeds  to  be  had,  for 
none  of  these  trees  grew  near.  Even  the  botanist, 
Don  Pablo,  could  find  no  vegetable  substance  that 
was  eatable  ;  and  they  would  have  to  sup  upon  the 
vicuna  meat,  without  bread,  potatoes,  or  other  vegeta- 
bles. Their  stock  of  ocas,  ullucas,  and  macas  was 
quite  out.  They  had  cooked  the  last  of  the  macas 
for  that  morning's  meal. 

Guapo  here  came  to  their  relief.  Guapo's  expe- 
rience went  beyond  the  theoretical  knowledge  of  the 
botanist.  Guapo  knew  a  vegetable  which  was  good 
to  eat  —  in  fact,  a  most  delicious  vegetable  when 
cooked  with  meat.  This  was  no  other  than  the  fleshy 
heart  of  the  wild  maguey,  (agave,)  with  part  of  the 
adhering  roots.  Among  naked  rocks,  in  the  most 
barren  parts  of  the  desert  wilderness,  the  wild  agave 
may   be   found   growing   in   luxuriance.     Its   thick, 


ENCOUNTER    UPON    A    CLIF*.  85 

succulent  blades,  when  split  open,  exude  a  cool 
liquid  that  often  gives  considerable  relief  to  the 
thirsty  traveller ;  while  the  heart  or  egg-shaped  nu- 
cleus from  which  spring  the  sheathing  leaves,  and 
even  parts  of  the  leaves  themselves,  when  cooked 
with  any  sort  of  meat,  become  an  excellent  and  nour- 
ishing food.  The  Indians  make  this  use  of  the  aloe 
on  the  high  plains  of  Northern  Mexico,  among  the 
roving  bands  of  the  Apache,  Navajo,  and  Comanche. 
These  people  cook  them  along  with  horse's  flesh  ;  for 
there  the  wild  horse  is  the  principal  food  of  whole 
tribes.  Their  mode  of  cooking  both  the  flesh  and 
the  aloe  is  by  baking  them  together  in  little  ovens  oi 
stones  sunk  in  the  ground, .and  then  heated  by  fire 
until  they  are  nearly  redhot.  The  ashes  are  then 
cleared  out,  the  meat  and  vegetables  placed  in  the 
ovens,  and  then  buried  until  both  are  sufficiently  done. 
In  fact  there  is  one  tribe  of  the  Apaches  who  have 
obtained  the  name  of  "  Mezcaleros,"  from  the  fact  of 
their  eating  the  wild  aloe,  which  in  those  countries 
goes  under  the  name  of  "  mezcal "  plant. 

In  many  parts  of  the  Andes,  where  the  soil  is 
barren,  the  wild  maguey  is  almost  the  only  vegeta- 
tion to  be  seen,  and  in  such  places  the  Indians  use  it 
as  food.  It  seems  to  be  a  gift  of  Nature  to  the  des- 
ert ;  so  that  even  there  man  may  find  something  on 
which  to  subsist. 

Guapo  with  his  knife  had  soon  cleared  off  several 
large  pieces  of  the  maguey  ;  and  these,  fried  along 
with  the  vicuna  meat,  enabled  the  party  to  make  a 
supper  sufficiently  palatable.  A  cup  of  pure  water 
from  the  cold  mountain  stream,  sweeter  than  all  the 


86  ENCOUNTER    UPON   A   CLIFF. 

wine  in  the  world,  washed  it  down,  and  they  went  to 
rest  with  hearts  full  of  contentment  and  gratitude. 

They  rose  at  an  early  hour,  and,  breakfasting  as 
they  had  supped,  once  more  took  the  road. 

After  travelling  a  mile  or  two,  the  path  gradually 
ascended  along  one  of  those  narrow  ledges  that  shelve 
out  from  the  cliff  of  which  we  have  already  spoken. 
They  soon  found  themselves  hundreds  of  feet  above 
the  bed  of  the  torrent ;  yet  still  hundreds  of  feet 
above  them  rose  the  wall  of  dark  porphyry,  seamed, 
and  scarred,  and  frowning.  The  ledge,  or  path,  was 
of  unequal  breadth,  here  and  there  forming  little 
tables,  or  platforms.  At  other  places,  however,  it 
it  was  so  narrow  that  those  who  were  mounted  could 
look  over  the  brink  of  the  precipice  into  the  frothing 
water  below  —  so  narrow  that  no  two  animals  could 
have  passed  each  other.  These  terrible  passes  were 
sometimes  more  than  a  hundred  yards  in  length, 
and  not  straight,  but  winding  around  buttresses  of 
the  rock,  so  that  one  end  was  not  visible  from  the 
other. 

On  frequented  roads,  where  such  places  occur,  it 
is  usual  for  travellers  entering  upon  them  to  shout, 
so  that  any  one  who  chances  to  be  coming  from  the 
opposite  side  may  have  warning,  and  halt.  Some- 
times this  warning  is  neglected,  and  two  trains  of 
mules  or  lamas  meet  upon  the  ledge.  Then  there 
is  a  terrible  scene.  The  drivers  quarrel  ;  one 
party  has  to  submit ;  their  animals  have  to  be  un- 
loaded and  dragged  back  by  the  heels  to  some  wider 
part  of  the  path,  so  that  each  party  can  get  past  in 
its  turn. 


ENCOUNTER    bPON    A    CLIFF.  87 

Near  the  highest  part  of  the  road  our  travellers 
nad  entered  upon  one  of  these  narrow  ledges,  and 
were  proceeding  along  it  with  caution.  The  trusty 
mule  that  carried  Dona  Isidora  and  Leona  was  in 
front ;  the  horse  followed,  and  then  the  lamas.  It 
is  safer  to  ride  than  walk  on  such  occasions,  es- 
pecially upon  mules ;  for  these  animals  are  more 
surefooted  than  the  traveller  himself.  The  horse 
that  carried  Leon,  however,  was  as  safe  as  any  mule. 
He  was  one  of  the  small  Spanish  American  breed 
almost  as  surefooted  as  a  chamois. 

The  torrent  rushed  and  thundered  beneath.  It  was 
fearful  to  listen  and  look  downward.  The  heads  of 
all  were  giddy,  and  their  hearts  full  of  fear.  Guapo 
alone,  accustomed  to  such  dangers,  was  of  steady 
nerve.     He  and  Don  Pablo,  afoot,  were  in  the  rear. 

They  had  neared  the  highest  point  of  the  road, 
where  a  jutting  rock  hid  all  beyond  from  their  view 
They  were  already  within  a  few  paces  of  this  rock 
when  the  mule  —  which,  as  we  have  stated,  was  in 
the  front  —  suddenly  stopped,  showing  such  symp- 
toms of  terror  that  Dona  Isidora  and  the  little  Leona 
both  shrieked. 

Of  course  all  the  rest  came  to  a  halt  behind  the 
terrified  and  trembling  mule.  Don  Pablo,  from  be- 
hind, shouted  out,  inquiring  the  cause  of  the  alarm ; 
but  before  any  answer  could  be  given  the  cause 
became  apparent  to  all.  Around  the  rock  suddenly 
appeared  the  head  and  horns  of  a  fierce  bull,  and  the 
next  moment  his  whole  body  had  come  into  view ; 
while  another  pair  of  horns  and  another  head  were 
seen  close  behind  him 


88  ENCOUNTER    UPON    A    CLIFF. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  describe  the  feelings  of  our 
travellers  at  that  moment.  The  bull  came  on,  with  a 
determined  and  sullen  look,  until  he  stood  nearly 
head  to  head  with  the  mule.  The  smoke  of  his  wide, 
steaming  nostrils  was  mingled  with  the  breath  of  the 
terrified  mule,  and  he  held  his  head  downward,  evi- 
dently with  the  intention  of  rushing  forward  upon  the 
latter.  Neither  could  have  gone  back  ;  and  of  course 
the  fierce  bull  would  drive  the  mule  into  the  abyss. 
The  other  bull  stood  close  behind,  ready  to  continue 
the  work  if  the  first  one  failed  ;  and  perhaps  there 
were  many  others  behind. 

The  mule  was  sensible  of  her  danger ;  and,  plant- 
ing her  hoofs  firmly  on  the  hard  rock,  she  clung 
closely  to  the  precipice.  But  this  would  not  have 
served  her  had  not  a  hand  interposed  in  her  behalf. 
Amidst  the  terrified  cries  of  the  children  the  voice 
of  Guapo  was  heard  calling  to  Don  Pablo,  — 

"  Your  pistols,  master  !     Give  me  your  pistols  !  " 

Something  glided  quickly  among  the  legs  of  the 
animals.  It  was  the  lithe  body  of  the  Indian.  In  a 
second's  time  he  appeared  in  front  of  the  mule.  The 
bull  was  just  lowering  his  head  to  charge  forward  ; 
his  horns  were  set,  the  foam  fell  from  his  lips,  and 
his  eyes  glanced  fire  out  of  their  dark  orbs.  Before 
he  could  make  the  rush  there  came  the  loud  report  of 
a  pistol,  a  cloud  of  sulphury  smoke,  a  short  struggle 
on  the  cliff,  and  then  a  dead  plunge  in  the  torrent 
below. 

The    smoke    partially  cleared   away ;    then  came 
another  crack,  another  cloud,  another  short  struggle 
and  another  distant  plash  in  the  water. 


\ 


1         --'.A 


&* 


ENCOUNTER   UPON    A    CLIFF.  89 

The  smoke  cleared  away  a  second  time.  The 
two  bulls  were  no  longer  to  be  seen. 

Guapo,  in  front  of  the  mule,  now  ran  forward 
upon  the  ledge  and  looked  round  the  buttress  of 
rock  ;  then,  turning  suddenly,  he  waved  his  hand 
and  shouted  back, — 

"  No  more,  master.  You  may  come  on  ;  the  road 
is  clear." 


90       THE  LONE  CROSS  IN  THE  FOREST. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  LONE   CROSS  IN  THE  FOREST. 

After  two  more  days  of  fatiguing  travel,  the  road 
parted  from  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  ran  along  the 
ridge  of  a  high  mountain  spur  in  a  direction  at  right 
angles  to  that  of  the  Andes  themselves.  This  spur 
continued  for  several  miles,  and  then  ended  abruptly. 
At  the  point  where  it  ended,  the  path,  which  for  the 
whole  of  the  day  had  been  scarcely  traceable,  also 
came  to  an  end.  They  were  now  of  course  in  a 
forest-covered  country  —  in  the  Ceja  de  la  Montana 
—  that  is,  the  forest  that  covers  the  foot  hills  of  the 
mountains.  The  forest  of  the  plains,  which  were  yet 
lower  down,  is  known  as  the  "  Montana  "  proper. 

During  that  day  they  had  found  the  road  in  several 
places  choked  up  with  underwood,  and  Guapo  had  to 
clear  it  with  his  machete  — a  sort  of  half  sword,  half 
knife,  used  throughout  all  Spanish  America,  partly  to 
cut  brushwood  and  partly  as  a  weapon  of  defence. 
Where  the  ridge  ended,  however,  what  had  once  been 
a  road  was  now  entirely  overgrown  —  vines  and 
llianas  of  large  size  crossed  the  path.  Evidently 
no  one  had  passed  for  years.  A  road  existed  no 
longer  ;  the  luxuriant  vegetation  had  effaced  it. 

This  is  no  unusual  thing  on  the  borders  of  the  Mon- 
tana.    Many  a  settlement  had  existed  there  in  former 


THE  LONE  CROSS  IN  THE  FOREST.       91 

times,  and  had  been  abandoned.  No  doubt  the  road 
they  had  been  following  once  led  to  some  such  set- 
tlement that  had  lone;  since  fallen  into  ruin. 

It  is  a  melancholy  fact  that  the  Spanish  Americans 

—  including  the  Mexican  nation  —  have  been  retro- 
grading for  the  last  hundred  years.  Settlements 
which  they  have  made,  and  even  large  cities  built  by 
them,  are  now  deserted  and  in  ruins ;  and  extensive 
tracts  of  country,  once  occupied  by  them,  have  be- 
come uninhabited,  and  have  gone  back  to  a  state  of 
nature.  Whole  provinces,  conquered  and  peopled 
by  the  followers  of  Cortez  and  Pizarro,  have  within 
the  last  fifty  years  been  retaken  from  them  by  the  In- 
dians :  and  it  would  be  very  easy  to  prove  that,  had 
the  descendants  of  the  Spanish  conquerors  been  left 
to  themselves,  another  half  century  would  have  seen 
them  driven  from  that  very  continent  which  their 
forefathers  so  easily  conquered  and  so  cruelly  kept. 
This  reconquest  on  the  part  of  the  Indian  races  was 
going  on  in  a  wholesale  way  in  the  northern  prov 
inces  of  Mexico.  But  it  is  now  interrupted  by  the 
approach  of  another  and  stronger  race  from  the  east 

—  the  Anglo-American. 

To  return  to  our  travellers.  Don  Pablo  was  no* 
surprised  that  the  road  had  run  out.  He  had  been 
expecting  this  for  miles  back.  What  was  to  be  done  ? 
Of  course  they  must  halt  for  that  night  at  least.  In- 
deed it  was  already  near  camping  time.  The  sun 
was  low  in  the  sky,  and  the  animals  were  all  much 
jaded.  The  lamas  could  not  have  gone  much  far- 
ther. They  looked  as  if  they  should  never  go  far- 
ther.    The  heat  of  the  climate  —  it  had  been  getting 


92       THE  LONE  CROSS  IN  THE  FOREST. 

warmer  every  hour  —  was  too  much  for  them.  These 
animals,  whose  native  home  is  among  the  high,  cool 
mountain  valleys,  as  already  observed,  cannot  live  in 
the  low  tropical  plains.  Even  as  they  descended  the 
Sierras,  they  had  shown  symptoms  of  suffering  from 
the  heat  during  all  that  day.  Their  strength  was  now 
fairly  exhausted. 

The  party  halted.  A  little  open  space  was  chosen 
for  the  camp.  The  animals  were  relieved  of  their 
burdens  and  tied  to  the  trees,  lest  they  might  stray 
off  and  be  lost  in  the  thick  woods.  A  fire  was  kin- 
dled, and  part  of  the  vicuna  meat  cooked  for  supper. 

It  was  not  yet  night  when  they  had  finished  eating, 
and  all  were  seated  on  the  ground.  The  countenance 
of  the  father  was  clouded  with  a  melancholy  expres- 
sion. Dona  Isidora  sat  by  his  side  and  tried  to  cheer 
him,  endeavoring  to  force  a  smile  into  her  large  black 
eyes.  The  little  Leona,  with  her  head  resting  on  her 
mother's  lap,  overcome  with  the  heat  and  fatigue,  had 
fallen  asleep.  Leon,  seeing  the  dejected  look  of  his 
father,  was  silent  and  thoughtful.  Guapo  was  busy 
with  his  lamas. 

"  Come,  dear  husband  !  "  said  the  lady,  trying  to 
assume  a  cheerful  tone,  "  do  not  be  so  sad.  We  are 
now  safe.     Surely  they  will  never  pursue  us  here." 

"  They  may  not,"  mechanically  replied  Don  Pablo  • 
15  but  what  then  ?  We  have  escaped  death,  for  wha 
purpose  ?  Either  to  live  like  savages  in  these  wild 
woods  —  perhaps  to  be  killed  by  savages  —  perhaps 
to  die  of  hunger  !  " 

"  Do  not  say  so,  Don  Pablo.  I  have  never  heard 
that  the  Indians  of  these  parts  were  cruel.     Thev 


THE    LONE    CROSS    IN    THE    FOREST.  93 

will  not  injure  poor  harmless  people  such  as  we  are. 
And  as  for  starving,  are  not  these  luxuriant  woods 
filled  with  roots  and  fruits  that  will  sustain  life  a  long 
while  ?  You,  too,  know  so  well  what  they  are.  Dear 
hushand,  do  not  despond ;  God  will  not  forsake  us. 
He  has  enabled  us  to  escape  from  our  enemies,  from 
fearful  dangers  on  our  journey.  Fear  not !  He  will 
not  leave  us  to  perish  now." 

The  cheering  words  of  his  beautiful  wife  had  their 
effect  upon  Don  Pablo.  He  embraced  and  kissed  her 
in  a  transport  of  love  and  gratitude.  He  felt  inspired 
with  new  hope.  The  vigor  of  mind  and  body,  that 
for  days  had  deserted  him,  now  suddenly  returned  ; 
and  he  sprang  to  his  feet  evidently  with  some  newly- 
formed  resolution. 

The  country  both  before  and  behind  them  was  shut 
out  from  their  view  by  the  thick  foliage  and  under- 
wood. A  tall  tree  grew  by  the  spot,  with  branches 
down  to  the  level  of  a  man's  head.  Don  Pablo  ap- 
proached this  tree,  and,  seizing  the  branches,  drew 
himself  up,  and  then  climbed  on  towards  its  top. 
When  he  had  reached  a  sufficient  height  to  overlook 
the  surrounding  woods  he  stopped,  and,  resting  him- 
self upon  one  of  the  branches,  looked  abroad  towards 
the  east.  All  the  rest  stood  watching  him  from  be- 
low. 

He  had  been  gazing  but  a  few  seconds  when  his 
face  brightened  up,  and  a  smile  of  satisfaction  was 
seen  to  play  upon  his  countenance.  He  evidently 
saw  something  that  pleased  him.  Isidora,  impatient, 
called  out  to  him  from  below  ;  but  Don  Pablo  waveJ 
his  hand  to  her,  as  if  admonishing  her  to  be  silent 


94  THE    LONE    CROSS    IN    THE    FOREST. 

"  Have  patience,  love,1'  he  cried  down.  "  I  shall 
descend  presently  and  tell  you  all.  I  have  good  news  ; 
but  be  patient." 

It  required  a  good  share  of  patience,  for  Don  Pab- 
lo after  this  remained  a  full  half  hour  upon  the  tree. 
He  was  not  all  the  time  looking  abroad,  however. 
Part  of  it  he  sat  upon  his  perch  —  his  head  leaning 
forward,  and  his  eyes  not  appearing  to  be  particularly 
engaged  with  any  thing.  He  was  busy  with  his 
thoughts,  and  evidently  meditating  on  some  great 
project.  Perhaps  the  going  down  of  the  sun  admon- 
ished him,  as  much  as  the  desire  of  satisfying  his 
wife's  curiosity ;  but  just  as  the  bright  orb  was  sink- 
ing among  the  far  tree  tops  he  descended. 

"  Now,  Don  Pablo,"  said  the  fair  Isidora,  pretend- 
ing to  frown  and  look  angry,  "  you  have  tried  our 
patience,  have  you  not  ?  Come,  then,  no  more  mys- 
tery, but  tell  us  all.     What  have  you  seen  ?  " 

"  Forgive  me,  wife  ;  you  shall  know  all." 

Both  sat  down  upon  the  trunk  of  a  dead  tree  that 
Guapo  had  felled  and  was  cutting  up  for  firewood  : 
not  that  it  was  at  all  cold,  but  they  had  now  arrived 
in  the  country  of  the  terrible  jaguar,  and  it  would  be 
necessary  to  keep  up  a  blazing  fire  throughout  the 
night. 

"  Your  words  were  true,  love,"  began  Don  Pablo. 
"  God  has  not  forsaken  us.  I  have  seen  three  things 
that  have  inspired  me  with  fresh  life  and  hope. 

"  First,  I  looked  out  upon  the  Montana,  which  I 
expected  to  see  stretching  away  to  the  horizon  like  a 
green  ocean.  I  saw  this  in  fact ;  but,  to  my  surprise, 
I  saw  more.     I  beheld  a  broad  river  winding  like  an 


THE  LONE  CROSS  IN  THE  FOREST.       95 

immense  serpent  through  the  distant  forest.  Tt  ran 
in  a  direction  north-east  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach. 
Even  upon  the  horizon  I  could  distinguish  spots  of 
its  bright  water  glancing  like  silver  under  the  rays 
of  the  setting  sun.  My  heart  leaped  with  joy,  for  I 
recognized  a  river  whose  existence  has  been  doubted. 
It  can  be  no  other,  thought  I,  than  the  Madre  de 
Dios.  I  have  often  heard  that  there  existed  such  a 
river  in  these  parts,  that  runs  on  to  the  Amazon.  A 
missionary  is  said  to  have  visited  it ;  but  with  the  de- 
struction of  the  missions  the  record  has  been  lost.  I 
have  no  doubt  the  river  I  have  seen  is  the  Madre  de 
Dios  of  that  missionary. 

"  The  thought  of  being  so  near  the  banks  of  this 
river  suggested  other  thoughts.  At  once  a  design 
entered  into  my  mind.  '  We  can  build  a  raft,'  thought 
I,  i  launch  it  upon  this  noble  river,  and  float  down  to 
the  Amazon,  and  thence  to  the  mouth  of  the  great 
stream  itself.  There  is  a  Portuguese  settlement  there 
—  the  town  of  Grand  Para.  There  we  shall  be  safe 
from  our  foes.' 

"  Such  were  my  first  thoughts  on  beholding  the 
new  river.  I  reflected  further.  4  Our  fortune  is 
gone,'  I  reflected  ;  l  we  have  nothing  in  the  wide 
world  —  what  should  we  do  at  Para,  even  if  we  ar- 
rived there  in  safety  ?  Flow  could  we  attempt  such 
a  journey  without  provisions  ?  It  would  be  impos- 
sible.' 

"  My  hopes  fell  as  quickly  as  they  had  sprung  up." 

"  I  noticed  your  countenance  change  as  you  sat 
upon  the  tree." 

"  True,  yon  might  easily  have  done  so  :  the  pros- 


96        THE  LONE  CROSS  IN  THE  FOREST. 

pect  of  reaching  Para  penniless,  and  becoming  a 
beggar  in  the  streets  —  the  nearer  prospect  of  starv- 
ing in  the  wilderness  of  the  Amazon  —  were  before 
my  mind. 

"  My  eyes  for  a  while  were  Hfent  mechanically 
upon  the  green  ocean  of  tree  tops.  All  at  once  an 
object  arrested  them.  It  was  a  patch  of  bright  rose- 
colored  foliage,  easily  distinguishable  amid  the  green 
leaves  that  surrounded  it.  It  was  not  down  in  the 
Montana  —  for  that  is  a  thousand  feet  below  us.  It 
was  upon  the  side  of  the  Sierra.  My  eyes  glanced 
quickly  around.  I  beheld  other  patches  of  similar 
foliage,  some  of  them  nearly  an  acre  in  breadth. 
My  heart  again  leaped  with  joy.  I  knew  well  what 
these  red  spots  of  the  forest  were.  They  were  clumps 
of  cinchona  trees  —  those  trees  that  yield  the  cele- 
brated febrifuge  —  the  Peruvian  bark. 

"  New  ideas  passed  rapidly  through  my  mind. 
1  Our  fortune  is  gone,'  thought  I.  t  Here  is  a  fortune 
in  these  valuable  trees.  Here  is  a  mine  that  only  re- 
quires to  be  worked.  I  shall  turn  cascarillero  —  I 
shall  be  a  hark  hunter.'' 

"  At  first  I  thought  that  we  might  gather  the  bark, 
and  send  Guapo  to  sell  it  in  the  towns  of  the  Sierra. 
Then  the  idea  came  into  my  mind  that  it  might  be 
possible  to  collect  an  immense  quantity,  store  it  up, 
build  a  great  raft,  float  it  down  the  rivers,  and  dispose 
of  it  in  Para.  I  knew  that  in  this  way  it  would  more 
than  quadruple  its  price  —  for  the  traders  of  the 
Sierra  purchase  it  from  the  poor  cascarilleros,  and 
have  enormous  profits  upon  it  from  the  larger  mer- 
chants. 


THE  LONE  CROSS  IN  THE  FOREST.       97 

"  But  how  to  live  while  making  this  store  ?  Yes, 
how  to  live  even  on  the  morrow  ?  Could  we  support 
ourselves  by  hunting,  or  find  sustenance  from  fruits 
and  roots,  as  you  have  suggested  ?  This  was  the 
most  important  question  of  all,  for  our  present  neces- 
sities far  outweighed  our  future  prospects. 

"  The  very  thought  of  our  necessity  caused  me 
once  more  to  glance  over  the  forest,  and  I  continued 
to  scan  it  on  all  sides.  My  eye  was  again  arrested, 
and  fixed  upon  a  point  where  I  saw  there  existed  a 
different  vegetation  from  any  that  could  be  seen  else- 
where. There  is  a  small  valley  about  five  hundred 
feet  below  us.  It  is  a  sort  of  table  valley,  and  the 
stream  along  which  we  have  been  travelling  runs 
through  it,  afterwards  dashing  over  a  fall  to  join  the 
river  below.  In  this  valley  I  saw  huge  broad  leaves 
of  a  brilliant  yellowish  green.  I  knew  them  at  once 
to  be  the  leaves  of  the  great  musacea,  either  plantains 
or  bananas.  I  thought,  too,  I  could  distinguish  the 
form  of  the  yucca  plant.  These  are  the  certain  signs 
of  some  settlement,  or  where  one  has  existed.  1 
fancy  the  latter  is  the  correct  idea,  as  I  could  distin- 
guish neither  house  nor  smoke.  It  may  be  some  de- 
serted Indian  '  chacra,'  or  it  may  be  the  grounds  of 
an  old  mission.  In  either  case,  we  shall  be  likely  to 
find  those  useful  plants  from  which  we  may  obtain 
food." 

"  O  papa  !  mamma  !  "  cried  Leon,  running  up 
and  interrupting  the  conversation.  "  See  what  is 
here  among  the  trees  !    I  declare,  it  is  a  great  cross  !  " 

Don  Pablo  and  Isidora  walked  towards  the  spot. 
There,  sure  enough,  was  a  large  wooden  cross  plant- 
7 


98       THE  LONE  CROSS  IN  THE  FOREST. 

ed  in  the  ground,  and  leaning  to  one  side.    The  wood 
was  much  decayed,  but  the  inscription  that  had  been 
deeply  cut  in  the  transverse  beam  was  still  legible 
It  was  simply  the  Spanish  phrase,  — 

"  Brazos  de  Dios,"  (The  arm  of  God.) 

Isidora  took  Don  Pablo  by  the  hand,  and,  looking 
steadfastly  in  his  face,  pointed  to  the  inscription. 
44  It  is  true,"  said  she  ;  "  God  protects  us  1 " 


THE    DESERTED    MISSION.  99 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  DESERTED  MISSION. 

That  night  all  went  to  rest  with  hope  in  their 
hearts,  though  still  not  without  some  anxiety. 

If  you  reflect  upon  the  situation  in  which  they  were 
placed,  you  will  not  wonder  that  they  were  anxious 
about  the  future.  Their  first  care  had  been  to  fly 
into  the  wilderness,  without  thinking  upon  the  neces- 
sities they  might  encounter  there  —  without  reflecting 
that  they  had  made  no  provision  of  food  to  sustain 
them.  It  is  true  that  in  the  great  Montana  there  are 
many  plants  and  trees  whose  roots  and  fruits  can  be 
eaten  ;  but  a  traveller  may  go  for  days  without  find- 
ing one  of  these.  Indeed,  to  pass  through  this  great 
forest,  in  most  places,  is  impossible,  so  completely 
are  the  creeping  parasites  matted  and  laced  together. 
It  is  necessary  to  keep  along  the  rivers  in  a  canoe  or 
raft,  else  you  cannot  get  from  place  to  place.  You 
cannot  even  walk  along  the  banks  of  many  of  these 
rivers,  as  the  underwood  hangs  into  the  very  water. 
For  the  same  reason  game  is  hard  to  be  procured ; 
and  neither  Don  Pablo  nor  Guapo  were  provided  with 
proper  weapons  to  hunt  with.  Don  Pablo's  pistols 
were  all  the  firearms  they  had,  and  Guapo  had  no 
other  weapon  than  his  machete.  With  their  present 
means,  then,  there  was  very  little   chance    of  their 


100  THE    DESERTED    MISSION. 

killing  any  game,  even  should  they  have  fallen  in 
with  it.  But  they  saw  none  as  yet,  except  some 
birds,  such  as  parrots,  macaws,  and  toucans,  that 
fluttered  among  the  leaves.  No  wonder,  then,  they 
were  anxious  about  what  they  should  find  to  eat,  or 
whether  they  should  find  any  thing  at  all. 

Don  Pablo  considered  the  cross  a  good  omen,  or 
rather  a  good  sign.  Some  missionary  must  have 
planted  it  in  years  gone  by.  No  doubt  a  missionary 
station  must  have  been  near ;  and  it  was  highly  prob- 
able that  what  he  had  seerr  in  the  little  valley  below 
would  turn  out  to  be  the  very  place  where  it  had 
stood. 

As  soon  as  it  became  day,  therefore,  Don  Pablo 
again  ascended  the  tree  to  take  the  bearings  of  the  val- 
ley, so  that  they  should  proceed  towards  it.  Guapo  also 
climbed  up,  so  that  both  might  make  sure  of  the  route 
they  ought  to  take — for  in  the  tangled  forests  of 
South  America  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  reach  any  ob- 
ject which  you  may  have  only  seen  at  a  distance 
from  the  top  of  a  tree.  Without  a  compass,  the 
traveller  soon  loses  his  direction,  and,  after  hours 
of  vain  exertion  and  devious  wandering,  often  finds 
himself  at  the  very  place  from  which  he  had  started. 

After  carefully  noting  the  direction  of  the  valley, 
Don  Pablo  and  Guapo  came  down  from  the  tree  ;  and 
while  the  former,  assisted  by  Leon,  packed  and  sad- 
dled the  animals,  Guapo  was  busy  with  his  machete 
in  clearing  away  the  brushwood  that  obstructed  the 
path.  This  did  not  turn  out  such  a  task  after  all. 
It  was  only  at  the  brow  of  the  ridge  where  the  un 
dergrowth  had  choked  up  the  way.     A  little  farther 


THE    DESERTED    MISSION.  101 

down  it  was  quite  passoibls  f  tind  ihe  part}?,  imimals 
and  all,  were  soon  winding  down  the  Sierra  towards 
the  valley.  Half  an  hovir?s  travelling  brought  ibem 
to  their  destination  ;  and  then  a  shout  of  joy,  coming 
simultaneously  from  all  of  them,  announced  their 
arrival  upon  the  spot. 

What  was  it  that  caused  them  to  utter  this  shout 
of  joy  ?  Before  them  towered  the  great  musacece  — 
plantains  and  bananas,  (Musa  paradisiaca  and  Sa- 
pientum.)  There  were  both  —  their  broad  yellow- 
green  and  waxlike  leaves  sheathing  their  succulent 
stems,  and  bending  gracefully  over  to  a  length  of 
twenty  feet.  But  beautiful  as  were  the  leaves  of 
these  giant  plants,  more  attractive  still  to  the  eyes  of 
our  travellers  were  the  huge  clusters  of  fruit  pods 
that  hung  from  beneath  them.  Each  of  these  would 
have  weighed  nearly  a  hundred  weight !  There 
was  food  for  hundreds.  These  plants  grew  by  the 
water's  edge,  in  a  damp  soil  —  their  natural  habitat. 
Their  leaves  drooped  over  the  stream.  Another 
plant,  equally  interesting,  was  seen  farther  back,  in  a 
dry  place.  There  were  many  of  these  ten  or  fifteen 
feet  high,  and  as  thick  as  a  man's  wrist.  ,  This  was 
the  yucca  plant,  (Jatropha  manihot.)  All  of  them 
knew  it.  They  knew  that  its  roots  produced  the  far- 
famed  cassava.  Cassava  is  bread.  Hurrah !  the 
staff  of  life  was  secure  ! 

But,  more  than  this,  there  were  fruits  in  abundance : 
there  were  mangoes  and  guavas,  oranges,  and  the  cel- 
ebrated cherimoya  —  the  favorite  of  Peru.  There  were 
shaddocks  and  sweet  limes  ;  and  see  !  yonder  is  a 
clump  of  sugar  canes,  with  their  thin  silken  leaves 


102  THE    DESERTED    MISSION. 

and  yeilow  tassel*  -Wo-vi^g  '  in  the  wind.  O,  loofc 
here  !  Here  is  a  coffee  shrub ,-with  its  ripe,  aromatic 
berates  ?  -'and  f  here  fig  tiie  -cacao  tree,  (Theobroma 
cacao.)  Coffee  and  chocolate —  there  was  a  choice 
of  beverages  !  Ha  !  what  have  we  here  —  this  plant 
like  an  orange  tree  ?  It  is  a  species  of  holly.  As  I 
live,  it  is  the  yerba  mate,  the  "Paraguay  tea,"  'Ilex 
Paraguensis.)     What  shall  we  light  upon  next  ? 

And  so  the  delighted  travellers  went  on  over  the 
ground,  through  the  thick-tangled  weeds  and  convol- 
vuli,  making  new  discoveries  at  every  step.  Even 
Guapo's  favorite,  the  coca  shrub,  was  found  growing 
among  the  rest ;  and  the  eyes  of  the  old  Indian 
sparkled  at  the  sight  of  it. 

Don  Pablo's  first  conjecture  had  been  right.  They 
had  arrived  at  the  ruin  of  some  old  missionary  station 
long  since  deserted.  Some  zealous  monk  had  planted 
all  these  plants  and  trees ;  had  for  years,  no  doubt, 
tended  them  with  care ;  had  dreamed  of  establishing 
around  this  lonely  spot  a  great  hierarchy,  and  making 
the  "  wilderness  blossom  as  the  rose."  An  evil  day 
nad  come  —  perhaps  during  the  revolt  of  Juan  San- 
tos, or  may  be  in  the  later  revolution  of  Tupac 
Amaru.  The  hand  of  the  savage  had  been  turned 
against  the  priest,  who  had  fallen  a  victim ;  and  his 
roof — the  mission  house — had  been  given  to  the 
flames.  Not  a  vestige  of  building  was  to  be  seen  — 
neither  stick  nor  stone  ;  and,  had  it  not  been  for  the 
curious  variety  of  vegetation  collected  on  the  spot, 
this  once  cultivated  and  flourishing  garden  might  have 
been  taken  for  part  of  the  primeval  forest. 

It  must  have  been  a  long  time  since  the  place  was 


THE    DESERTED    MISSION.  103 

inhabited  ;  for  great  trees  and  parasites  had  grown  up 
in  the  midst  of  the  cultivated  plants. 

After  the  first  transports  of  delight  had  to  some  ex 
tent  subsided,  a  consultation  was  held  as  to  future  pro 
ceedings.  They  were  not  long  in  coming  to  a  con 
elusion.  It  was  resolved  that  a  house  should  be  buK 
in  the  middle  of  this  wild  garden,  which  should  be 
for  a  time  at  least,  their  home. 

The  poor  lamas  had  made  their  last  journey. 
They  were  to  be  killed.  Guapo,  although  reluctant 
to  part  with  his  old  favorites,  knew  that  they  could  not 
live  in  the  warm  climate  of  the  valley,  and  therefore 
consented.  Their  flesh,  it  is  true,  is  none  of  the  best ; 
but  it  would  taste  the  better  that  no  other  was  to  be 
had  ;  and  their  wool  and  skins  would  be  found  useful. 
The  lamas  were  killed. 


104     THE  GUACO  AND  THE  CORAL  SNAKE. 


CHAPTER   XV. 
THE  GUACO  AND  THE  CORAL  SNAKE. 

It  was  Guapo  himself  that  killed  the  lamas  ;  and, 
naving  skinned  them,  he  cut  the  flesh  into  thin  strips 
and  hung  it  upon  the  branches  to  dry  in  the  sun. 
This,  of  course,  was  necessary,  as  they  had  no  salt 
to  cure  it  with  ;  but  meat  well  dried  under  a  hot  sun 
will  keep  good  for  a  long  time.  It  is  curious  that  in 
all  Spanish  American  countries  they  preserve  most 
of  their  meat  in  this  way ;  whereas  in  North  Amer- 
ica, among  the  people  of  our  own  race,  "jerked 
beef"  (for  that  is  the  name  we  give  it)  is  very  rare. 
Now,  in  Spanish  America  there  are  vast  depositories 
of  salt,  both  in  mines  and  on  plains,  with  salt  lakes, 
called  salinas  ;  yet,  for  want  of  a  proper  commercial 
activity  existing  among  these  people,  in  many  places 
the  valuable  article  (salt)  is  both  scarce  and  dear. 
In  Mexico  dried  or  "jerked"  beef  is  called  "  tasajo." 
In  Peru,  as  we  have  stated,  it  is  "  charqui ; "  but 
mutton  cured  in  this  way  is  distinguished  by  tho 
name  "  chalona."  Now,  as  the  lamas  are  a  species 
of  sheep,  it  was  "  chalona  "  that  Guapo  was  making 
out  of  their  mutton. 

The  others  were  not  idle.  Don  Pablo,  assisted  by 
Leon,  was  clearing  a  place  on  which  they  intended 
to  build  the  ho.je  ;  while  the  Dona  Isidora,  with  her 


THE  GUACO  ANp  THE  CORAL  SNAKE.     105 

soft,  slender  fingers,  (for  the  first  time  in  her  life, 
perhaps,)  was  acting  as  laundress  ;  and  the  little 
Leona  assisted  her  as  much  as  she  was  able.  Where 
did  they  get  their  soap  ?  for  they  had  not  brought  so 
much  as  a  single  cake  along  with  them.  But  Don 
Pablo  was  too  good  a  botanist  not  to  know  the  na- 
ture of  the  trees  that  grew  around  and  the  uses  to 
which  they  could  be  applied.  Near  by  grew  a 
curious  tree,  which  is  known  among  the  Indians  as 
the  parapara.  It  was  the  soap  berry  of  botanists, 
(Sapindus  saponaria  ;)  and  Don  Pablo  knew  that  the 
bark  of  the  berries,  when  rubbed,  produces  a  lather 
that  will  wash  linen  equal  to  the  best  "  Castile." 
Dona  Isidora  was  not  long  in  making  a  trial  of  it,  and 
found  this  to  be  true.  The  little  round  stones  of  the 
berries,  when  cleared  of  the  pulp,  are  very  pretty, 
and  are  much  used  by  the  missionaries  in  making  ro- 
saries. Leon  found,  dropping  one  of  them  on  a 
stone,  that  it  was  as  elastic  as  a  ball  of  India  rubber, 
for  it  rebounded  several  times  to  the  height  of  a 
man's  head. 

In  the  evening  they  all  rested  from  their  various 
occupations,  and  seated  themselves  upon  the  new- 
cleared  ground,  upon  the  trunk  of  a  tree  that  had 
been  felled.  They  were  one  and  all  quite  cheerful. 
They  felt  no  more  apprehension  of  pursuit.  It  would 
have  been  a  very  revengeful  enemy  indeed  who 
would  have  followed  them  so  far  into  the  wilderness ; 
they  had  no  fear  of  that.  Dofia  Isidora  had  just 
cooked  a  kettle  of  coffee.  They  had  both  pots  and 
kettles  ;  for  these  were  some  of  the  utensils  with 
which  Guapo,  even  in  the  hurry  of  flight,  had  taken 


106     THE  GUACO  AND  THE  CORAL  SNAKE. 

the  precaution  to  load  his  lamas.  This  coffee  turned 
out  to  be  of  the  finest  quality.  It  was  of  a  peculiar 
species,  which  has  long  been  cultivated  by  the  mis- 
sionaries of  Peru,  and  which  yields  a  very  high  price. 
Ii  used  to  be  sent  by  the  viceroys  as  a  valued  present 
to  the  kings  of  Spain.  To  sweeten  the  coffee  some 
joints  of  sugar  cane  had  been  crushed  and  boiled  in  a 
rough  manner  ;  and  for  bread  they  had  roasted  plain- 
tains.  During  the  repast  they  were  all  quite  merry, 
and  pleasant  jokes  were  passed  for  the  first  time  in 
many  days. 

While  thus  engaged  a  singular  sound  fell  upon 
their  ears.  It  was  like  a  voice  repeating  the  word 
"  Guaco."  They  all  listened.  "  Guaco  —  Guaco ! " 
again  came  the  voice. 

"  Hola !  "  cried  Leon.  "  Guapo —  Guapo !  There's 
some  one  calling  you,  Guapo.  There  again  !  No, 
it's  '  Guaco.'  Listen  !  4  Guaco  —  Guaco  ! '  What 
is  it,  I  wonder  ?  " 

"  That's  the  snake  bird,"  quietly  answered  Guapo, 
who,  it  must  be  remembered,  was  a  native  of  the 
Montana,  and  knew  a  great  deal  both  about  the  birds 
and  beasts  of  these  regions. 

4  The  snake  bird  ! "  exclaimed  Leon,  evidently  in- 
terested in  the  name. 

"  Yes,  young  master,"  replied  Guapo.  "  Look  ! 
yonder  it  goes." 

The  eyes  of  all  were  instantly  turned  in  the  direc- 
tion pointed  out  by  Guapo.  There,  sure  enough,  waa 
a  bird  not  much  larger  than  a  common  pigeon,  but 
which  had  all  the  appearance  of  a  sparrow  hawk,  h 
was  "  swallow  tailed,"   however  ;  and   this,  with  its 


THE  GUACO  AND  THE  CORAL  SNAKE.     107 

peculiar  form  and  the  manner  of  its  flight,  showed 
that  it  was  one  of  the  kite  hawks.  When  first  no- 
ticed it  was  perched  upon  the  top  of  a  high  tree  ;  but 
it  soon  flew  to  another  not  so  high,  uttering  as  it 
went  the  "  Guaco  —  Guaco  !  "  It  then  pitched  itself 
to  a  still  lower  branch,  and  was  evidently  after  some- 
thing which  none  of  the  party  could  see.  That  some- 
thing, however,  soon  became  apparent.  The  ground 
had  been  cleared  in  a  broad  track  down  to  the  water's 
edge  ;  and  near  the  middle  of  the  open  space  an 
object  was  observed  in  motion,  making  towards  the 
weeds.  That  object  was  a  snake.  It  was  not  a  large 
one  —  not  more  than  three  feet  in  length ;  and  its 
beautiful  body,  variegated  with  bands  of  black,  red, 
and  bright  yellow,  glistened  as  it  moved.  Its  pre- 
dominating color  was  a  fleshy  red,  or  coral,  from 
whence  it  has  its  name  ;  for  both  Don  Pablo  and 
Guapo,  as  soon  as  they  saw  it,  pronounced  it  the 
"  coral  snake."  Beautiful  as  it  appeared,  all  knew 
that  it  was  one  of  the  most  poisonous  of  serpents  — 
one  of  the  most  dreaded  of  South  American  reptiles. 

The  first  thought  of  Guapo  and  Leon  was  to  spring 
up,  seize  upon  some  weapon,  and  kill  the  creature. 
Don  Pablo,  however,  restrained  them. 

"  Stay  where  you  are,"  said  he  ;  "  be  patient.  We 
shall  have  a  scene.     Look  at  the  hawk  —  see  !  " 

As  Don  Pablo  spoke,  the  guaco,  which  had  hopped 
down  to  the  lowest  branches  of  a  neighboring  tree, 
swooped  suddenly  at  the  snake,  evidently  aiming  to 
clutch  it  around  the  neck.  The  latter,  however,  had 
been  too  quick,  and,  coiling  itself  like  a  flash  of 
lightning,  darted  its  head   out  towards  the  bird  in  a 


08     THE  GUACO  AND  THE  CORAL  SNAKE. 

threatening  manner.     Its  eyes  sparkled  with  rage 
and  their  fiery  glitter  could  be  seen  even  at  many 
yards'  distance. 

The  bird  diverged  from  its  course,  and,  after  pass- 
ing the  snake,  turned  and  swooped  again  from  the 
opposite  direction.  But  the  reptile  had  shifted  its 
body  so  as  to  meet  the  attack,  and  its  threatening 
head  once  more  was  reared  high  above  its  coiled 
body.     The  guaco  was  foiled  a  second  time. 

This  second  failure  seemed  to  enrage  the  bird,  as 
it  turned  at  shorter  intervals,  and,  apparently  losing 
all  fear,  fluttered  over  the  reptile,  striking  both  with 
beak  and  claws.  The  latter  still  kept  in  its  coil ;  but 
its  head  moved  hastily  from  side  to  side,  so  as  always 
to  "  show  front "  to  its  active  antagonist. 

After  this  play  had  continued  for  some  time  the 
snake  was  seen  to  draw  in  its  head  farther  than  usual ; 
and  the  hawk,  evidently  somewhat  off  his  guard, 
deeming  this  a  fair  opportunity,  pounced  forward  to 
seize  it.  But  he  was  met  half  way.  The  head  of 
the  serpent  shot  forward  like  a  rapier,  and  reached 
his  breast.  The  hawk  felt  that  he  was  wounded  ; 
and,  uttering  a  wild  scream,  he  flew  suddenly  away. 
All  eyes  watched  him  as  he  flew  off,  expecting  that 
he  would  fall ;  for  the  bite  of  the  coral  snake  will 
kill  even  a  man  in  a  few  minutes,  and  a  bird  or  small 
animal  in  much  less  time.  It  is  not  correct  to  say 
that  all  of  them  expected  to  see  him  fall.  Guapo, 
from  experience,  knew  better  ;  and  even  Don  Pablo, 
as  a  naturalist,  had  heard  a  strange  account  of  this 
singular  bird,  and  was  curious  to  witness  the  result. 
The  hawk,  therefore,  was  narrowiy  watched. 


THE  GUACO  AND  THE  CORAL  SNAKE.     109 

It  flew  directly  for  a  tree,  up  against  the  trunk  of 
which,  and  clinging  to  its  branches,  grew  a  parasite 
or  creeping  plant.  The  latter  was  of  the  thickness 
of  a  willow  rod,  with  long,  slender  leaves,  of  a  dark- 
green  color.  The  bird  did  not  alight  upon  the  top  of 
the  tree,  but  on  a  branch  where  it  could  reach  the 
leaves  of  the  creeper,  which  it  began  immediately  to 
pluck  and  devour.  In  a  short  while  it  had  eaten  as 
many  as  a  dozen  of  these  long  leaves,  when  it  again 
took  to  wing,  and  flew  back  in  the  direction  of  the 
snake. 

All  had,  for  the  moment,  forgotten  the  snake  in 
their  eagerness  to  watch  the  movements  of  the  bird. 
To  their  astonishment  the  reptile  was  still  in  the  same 
place,  and  coiled  up  as  when  last  seen.  This  was 
easily  explained,  however,  as  snakes  who  defend 
themselves  in  that  attitude  usually  remain  coiled  until 
they  are  certain  that  their  enemy  has  gone  away  and 
will  not  return  to  the  attack. 

The  contest  was  now  renewed  with  redoubled  fury. 
The  bird  fought  with  fresh  courage,  knowing  that  he 
had  taken  precautions  against  a  fatal  result,  while 
the  snake  defended  itself  with  the  energy  of  despair. 
This  time  the  battle  was  a  short  one.  The  guaco, 
using  its  wings,  succeeded  in  striking  its  antagonist 
upon  the  upraised  head,  and,  quickly  following  up 
the  blow,  planted  his  talons  so  as  to  encircle  the 
throat  of  his  victim.  The  effect  of  his  gripe  was 
instantly  apparent.  The  reptile  unfolded  itself,  and 
the  slender  coral  body  was  seen  writhing  and  twisting 
along  the  ground.  But  it  did  not  remain  long  upon 
the   ground  ;  for   in  a   few  moments  the  guaco  rose 


110  THE    GTJACO    AND    THE    CORAL    SNAKL. 

into  the  air,  and  carried  the  struggling  victim   into 
the  woods  to  devour  it  at  his  leisure. 

Now,  Guapo  was  exceedingly  pleased  at  what  had 
occurred.  Why  ?  It  was  not  because  such  a  scene 
was  at  all  new  to  him.  No  ;  he  had  often  witnessed 
such,  and  was  no  longer  curious  upcr.  +hat  head,  it 
was  something  more  than  mere  curiosity  that  moved 
Guapo.  When  the  affair  was  over  he  rose  from  nis 
seat,  and,  stalking  off  to  the  place  where  the  bird  had 
been  seen  to  eat  the  leaves,  he  gathered  a  quantity 
of  them,  and  then  returned  to  the  fire.  Don  Pablo 
recognized  them  as  the  leaves  of  a  plant  of  the  genus 
Mikania,  and  known  popularly  as  the  "  vejuco  de 
guaco."  Guapo  knew  nothing  of  the  scientific  des- 
ignation of  the  plant  ;  but  he  had  long  ago  been 
taught  the  valuable  properties  of  its  leaves  as  an  anti- 
dote against  the  bite  of  the  most  poisonous  snakes. 
He  had  known  them  to  cure  the  bite  of  the  cascabei, 
(rattlesnake,)  and  even  of  the  small  spotted  vipe*, 
(Echidna  ocellata,)  the  most  poisonous  of  all  inc. 
American  snakes. 

What,  then,  did  Guapo  with  the  leaves  of  ther 
vejuco  ?  First  he  chopped  them  up  as  fine  as  ho 
could  ;  and  then,  tying  them  tightly  in  a  piece  of 
cotton  cloth,  he  expressed  from  them  a  quantity  of 
juice,  enough  for  his  purpose.  That  done,  with  the 
point  of  a  knife  he  made  small  incisions  between  hi? 
toes,  and  also  upon  his  breast  and  fingers.  Into  each 
of  these  incisions,  even  while  the  blood  was  flowing 
from  them,  he  dropped  the  juice  of  the  mikania,  anc 
rubbed  it  in  with  fresh  leaves  of  the  plant  itself 
and  then,  with  some  tufts  of  the  soft  floss  of  the  sill 


THE  GUACO  AND  THE  CORAL  SNAKE.     11] 

cotton  tree,  (Bombax  ceiba,)  he  covered  the  incisions 
so  as  to  stop  the  bleeding.  He  wound  up  this  strange 
performance  by  chewing  some  of  the  leaves  and 
swallowing  about  a  spoonful  of  the  juice.  This  made 
the  "  inoculation  "  complete ;  and  Guapo,  as  he  him- 
self declared,  was  now  invulnerable  to  the  bite  of  the 
most  venomous  serpent. 

He  offered  to  "  inoculate  "  the  others  in  the  same 
way.  They  at  first  refused,  Don  Pablo  among  the 
rest ;  but  after  a  day  or  two,  when  each  of  the  party 
had  met  with  several  narrow  escapes  from  vipers, 
coral  snakes,  and  the  much-dreaded  "jararaca," 
(craspedocephalus,)  Don  Pablo  thought  it  prudent 
that  all  should  submit  to  the  operation  ;  and  accord- 
ingly Guapo  "  doctored  "  the  party  without  more  ado. 


112  THE    PALM    WOODS. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 
1HE  PALM  WOODS. 

It  happened  that  upon  the  opposite  side  of  the 
stream  there  was  a  broad  track  covered  with  palm 
trees,  while  not  one  was  to  be  seen  on  that  side  where 
they  intended  building  their  house.  As  these  are  the 
most  convenient  trees  for  constructing  a  house  to  suit 
the  hot  climate  of  the  Montana,  it  appeared  necessa- 
ry* that  they  should  use  them.  But  how  were  they  to 
get  at  them  ?  The  stream  flowed  between  them  and 
the  camp  ;  and  although  not  a  large  river,  yet  at  that 
place  it  was  very  wide  and  deep,  for  in  the  flat  table 
valley  it  expanded  to  the  dimensions  of  a  little  lake. 
Below,  where  it  issued  out  of  the  valley,  it  ran  for 
some  distance  in  a  deep  cleft  between  rocky  banks 
almost  or  quite  perpendicular,  and  above  the  valley  it 
came  dashing  through  an  impassable  ravine.  If  they 
could  only  get  over  to  cut  the  palms,  they  knew  they 
could  roll  them  to  the  bank  and  float  them  across  the 
stretch  of  still  water.  But  how  to  get  over  required 
some  consideration.  Guapo  could  swim  like  a  water 
dog,  but  Don  Pablo  could  not ;  and  Leon,  having 
been  brought  up  as  a  town  boy,  had  had  but  little 
practice,  and  consequently  was  but  a  poor  swimmer. 
What,  then,  was  to  be  done,  as  Guapo  could  not  well 
manage  the  palms  without  help  ? 


THE    PALM    WOODS.  113 

After  examining  the  stream,  both  above  and  below, 
no  crossing  place  could  be  found  ;  but  just  at  the  point 
where  it  ran  out  of  the  valley  the  space  between  the 
high  banks  was  very  narrow.  A  good  long  plank 
would  have  reached  across  it,  had  they  only  had 
one  —  but  that  they  had  not.  Now,  upon  the  oppo- 
site bank  there  grew  a  tall  tree.  It  was  one  of  the 
beautiful  silk-cotton  trees  already  mentioned.  It 
stood  upon  the  veiy  edge  of  the  chasm.  Both  Don 
Pablo  and  Guapo  saw  at  a  glance  that  this  tree  could 
be  felled  and  made  to  fall  across  the  stream  so  as 
to  form  the  very  bridge  they  wanted. 

Not  much  time  was  lost  about  it.  Guapo,  tying 
his  axe  upon  his  shoulders,  ran  up  the  near  side  un- 
til he  was  opposite  the  still  running  water,  and  then, 
plunging  in,  swam  across  in  a  few  seconds.  He  soon 
after  appeared  on  the  opposite  bank,  at  the  root  of 
the  bombax,  which  he  attacked  in  such  a  manner  that 
one  who  did  not  know  what  he  was  about  might  have 
fancied  he  was  angry  at  it.  In  a  few  minutes  a  great 
notch  appeared  in  the  side  of  the  tree  ;  and  Guapo, 
continuing  his  sturdy  blows,  made  the  yellow  chips 
fly  out  in  showers.  Of  course  the  notch  was  cut  on 
the  side  next  the  stream,  so  that  the  tree  would  fall  in 
that  direction.  The  beaver  understands  that  much ; 
and  Guapo  had  considerably  more  intelligence  than 
any  beaver. 

In  about  half  an  hour  the  bombax  began  to  creak 
and  lean  a  little.  Then  Don  Pablo  threw  over  a  lasso 
which  had  been  brought  along.  Guapo  noosed  one 
end  over  a  high  limb,  and,  tying  a  stone  to  the  other, 
pitched  it  back  to  Don  Pablo,  who  hauled  it  taut. 
A 


114  THE   PALM    WOODS. 

Then  a  few  cuts  of  the  axe  broke  the  skin  of  the  tree 
on  the  other  side.  Don  Pablo  pulled  by  the  rope  ; 
and  with  a  loud  tear  and  a  crash,  and  a  vast  deal  of 
crackling  among  the  branches,  the  great  bombax 
settled  into  a  horizontal  position  across  the  chasm. 
The  bridge  was  built. 

After  all  it  was  no  slight  adventure  to  cross  it. 
The  rounded  trunk  was  any  thing  but  sure  footing ; 
and  even  had  it  been  a  flat  plank,  the  depth  of  the 
chasm  —  nearly  a  hundred  feet  clear  —  and  the 
white  roaring  torrent  below  were  enough  to  shake 
the  stoutest  nerves.  All,  however,  got  over  in  safety 
and  proceeded  up  to  the  palm  woods.  I  say  all  —  but 
I  mean  only  the  male  population  of  the  new  settle- 
ment. Dona  Isidora  and  the  little  Leona  remained 
by  the  camp,  both  of  them  busy  scraping  yucca  roots, 
to  be  manufactured  into  cassava,  and  then  into  bread. 

On  arriving  among  the  palm  trees,  Don  Pablo  was 
struck  with  a  singular  fact.  He  observed  (indeed  he 
had  already  noticed  as  much  from  the  opposite  side 
of  the  river)  that,  instead  of  one  species  of  palm, 
there  were  not  less  than  a  dozen  kinds  growing  in 
this  wood.  This  was  a  very  unusual  circumstance  ; 
as,  although  two  or  three  species  are  often  found  to- 
gether, such  a  varied  collection  as  were  there  could 
only  have  been  made  by  human  hands.  Here,  again, 
was  recognized  the  work  of  the  missionaiy  monk, 
who  had  no  doubt  planted  most  of  the  species,  having 
received  them  very  likely  from  many  distant  stations 
of  his  fellow-laborers  in  other  parts  of  the  Amazon 
valley. 

Whether  Franciscan,  Jesuit,  or  Dominican,  (for  all 


THE    PALM    WOODS.  115 

three  have  had  their  missions  in  this  part  of  the 
world,)  the  holy  father  who  resided  here,  thought 
Don  Pablo,  must  have  been  an  ardent  horticulturist. 
Whether  or  not  he  converted  many  Indians  to  his 
faith,  he  seemed  to  have  exerted  himself  to  provide 
for  their  temporal  necessities  ;  for  there  was  hardly  a 
useful  plant  or  tree  suitable  to  the  Climate  that  was 
not  to  be  found  growing  near  the  spot.  Such  were 
the  reflections  of  Don  Pablo. 

"  What  a  variety  of  beautiful  palms  !  "  said  he, 
looking  around  upon  these  by  far  the  fairest  forma 
of  the  vegetable  creation. 

Now,  my  boy  reader,  I  have  not  the  slightest  doubt 
but  that  you,  too,  think  the  palms  the  fairest  forms  of 
the  vegetable  creation.  I  have  not  the  shadow  of  a 
doubt  that  your  heart  beats  joyfully  at  the  very  word 
"  palm  ;  "  that  you  love  to  gaze  at  one  of  these  state- 
ly trees ;  and  that  you  would  give  all  your  pocket 
money  for  an  afternoon's  ramble  through  a  real  palm 
wood.  Would  you  not  ?  Yes  ;  I  am  sure  of  it.  Now, 
I  could  tell  you  a  great  deal  about  palms  if  I  would ; 
and  I  would,  too,  if  my  space  and  time  allowed  me ; 
but  neither  will,  alas  !  Why,  if  I  were  only  to  give 
you  even  the  shortest  and  dryest  botanic  description 
of  all  the  different  palms  that  are  known  to  us,  that 
mere  dry  catalogue  would  fill  a  book  as  big  as  this 
one. 

How  many  species  do  you  think  there  are  ?  Up 
to  this  time  you  have  thought,  perhaps,  there  was 
only  one,  and  that  was  the  palm  tree  itself.  May  be 
you  had  heard  of  more,  such  as  the  sago  palm,  the 
cocoa-nut  palm,  the  date  palm,  or  the  cabbage  palm 


116  THE    PALM    WOODS. 

and  you  fancied  there  might  be  others  —  perhaps  as 
many  as  a  dozen.  Now,  you  will  hardly  credit  me 
when  I  tell  you  that  we  know  of  no  less  than  six  hun- 
dred species  of  palms,  all  differing  from  each  other. 
I  may  add,  further,  that  it  is  my  belief  that  there 
exist  on  the  earth  as  many  more  —  that  is,  the  enor- 
mous number  of  twelve  hundred.  The  reason  why 
I  entertain  this  belief  is,  that  in  all  cases  where  simi- 
lar guesses  have  been  hazarded  —  whether  with  re- 
gard to  plants,  or  birds,  or  mammalia  —  they  have 
eventually  proved  far  below  the  mark ;  and  as  the 
palm  countries  are  the  very  regions  of  the  earth  least 
known  and  least  explored  by  botanists,  it  is  but  rea- 
sonable to  conclude  that  great  numbers  of  species 
have  never  yet  been  described,  nor  even  seen.  An- 
other fact  which  strengthens  this  probability  is,  that 
peculiar  species  of  palms  are  sometimes  found  only 
in  a  limited  district,  and  nowhere  else  in  the  same 
country.  A  small  river  even  sometimes  forms  the 
boundary  line  of  a  species  ;  and  although  whole 
groves  may  be  seen  on  the  one  side,  not  a  tree  of  the 
same  sort  grows  on  the  other.  Some  botanists  even 
prognosticate  that  more  than  two  thousand  species  of 
palms  will  yet  become  known.  Of  the  six  hundred 
species  known,  about  half  belong  to  the  old  world, 
and  half  to  America.  In  America  they  are  chiefly 
found  growing  on  the  continent,  although  several 
species  are  natives  of  the  West  India  islands  — 
while  on  the  eastern  hemisphere  the  greatest  number 
of  species  belong  to  the  islands. 

I  might  tell  you  a  great  deal  of  the  importance  of 
►hese  noble  trees  to  the  human  race,  for  they  are  as 


THE    PALM    WOODS.  117 

useful  as  they  are  beautiful.  Almost  every  sort  lias 
its  particular  use  in  the  economy  of  human  life.  Not 
only  do  they  serve  certain  purposes  in  Africa,  Asia, 
America,  and  Oceanica,  but  in  all  these  divisions  of 
the  earth  there  are  whole  nations  who  live  almost 
exclusively  upon  one  or  another  species  of  palm. 

A  discovery  has  lately  been  made  in  regard  to  an 
African  species,  which  it  is  to  be  hoped  will  have  an 
important  influence  in  doing  away  with  the  infamous 
slave  traffic  so  long  existing  in  that  unhappy  country. 
You  have  heard  of  palm  oil.  Well,  it  is  extracted 
from  the  nuts  of  a  species  of  palm.  The  oil  is  no 
new  discovery ;  but  it  is  only  lately  that  it  has  been 
found  to  be  quite  as  good  for  the  manufacture  of 
candles  as  either  spermaceti  or  wax.  The  conse- 
quence has  been  a  great  increase  in  the  traffic  of  this 
article  on  the  western  coast  of  Africa  ;  and  the  native 
princes,  finding  that  it  is  more  profitable  than  slave 
selling,  have  in  many  parts  given  up  the  last-named 
atrocious  commerce,  and  have  taken  to  gathering 
palm  oil.  If  a  palm  tree  can  effect  what  has  baffled 
the  skill  of  the  combined  philanthropists  and  powers 
of  Europe,  then,  indeed,  we  shall  say,  "  All  honor  to 
the  noble  palms." 

But  I  might  go  on  talking  of  palms  until  our  little 
volume  came  to  an  end.  I  must,  therefore,  no  longer 
speak  generally  of  these  beautiful  trees,  but  confine 
myself  to  such  species  as  came  under  the  observa- 
tion, and  ministered  to  the  wants,  of  the  new  settlers. 


118  A    HOUSE    OF    PALMS. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


A  HOUSE  OF  PALMS. 


The  first  species  of  palms  that  attracted  the  ob- 
servation of  Don  Pablo  and  his  party  was  that  known 
as  the  "patawa"  palm.  It  belongs  to  the  genus 
(Enocarpus.  There  are  several  species  of  this  genus 
in  South  America,  but  none  more  beautiful  than  the 
"  patawa."  It  is  a  palm  with  a  straight,  smooth 
stem  and  pinnate  leaves  —  the  stem  being  sixty 
feet  in  height  and  about  a  foot  in  diameter.  The 
stem  becomes  smooth  only  in  old  trees.  In  the 
young  ones,  and  even  in  those  that  stand  in  a  thick 
shady  forest,  it  presents  a  very  shaggy  appearance, 
and  is  completely  hidden  by  the  bases  of  the  old 
leaves  that  have  decayed  and  fallen  off.  From  the 
margins  of  these  bases  grow  spinous  processes  of 
nearly  three  feet  in  length,  which  point  upward. 
These  are  used  by  the  Indians  to  make  the  arrows  of 
their  "  blow  guns,"  of  which  more  hereafter.  From 
the  fruits  of  this  palm  a  most  delicious  drink  is  man« 
ufactured  with  very  little  trouble.  The  fruit  itself  is 
about  the  size  of  a  plum,  but  of  an  oval  shape  and 
deep  violet  color.  It  grows  in  large  clusters  just 
under  the  leaves.  To  make  the  drink,  the  fruits  are 
thrown  into  a  vessel  of  hot  water,  where  they  remain 
for  a  few  minutes,  until  the  pulp  becomes  soft.     The 


A   HOUSE    OF    PALMS.  119 

hot  water  is  next  poured  off,  and  cold  water  is  substi- 
tuted. In  this  the  fruits  are  crushed  and  rubbed  with 
the  hands  until  all  the  pulp  is  washed  from  the  stones. 
The  liquid  is  then  strained,  so  as  to  separate  the  stones 
and  other  substances,  when  it  is  ready  for  use  ;  and  a 
most  luxurious  beverage  it  is  —  in  its  taste  bearing 
some  resemblance  to  filberts  and  cream. 

A  palm  called  the  "  assai "  has  a  small  sloelike 
fruit,  which  produces  a  similar  beverage  —  thick  and 
creamy,  and  of  a  fine  plum  color.  In  all  the  Portu- 
guese settlements  the  "  assai "  is  a  favorite  drink, 
and  is  taken  along  with  cassava  bread,  as  we  use 
milk  or  coffee. 

It  was  not  on  account  of  its  fruit,  however,  that 
Don  Pablo  rejoiced  at  beholding  the  "  patawa  "  palms. 
Perhaps  Leon  thought  more  about  the  rich  clusters 
of  oval  plums ;  but  his  father  looked  only  to  the 
straight,  smooth  stems,  which  were  designed  for 
corner  posts,  beams,  and  the  heavier  wood  work  of 
the  house. 

In  a  few  minutes  Guapo  was  busy  with  his  axe, 
and  one  after  another  fell  the  princely  trunks  of  the 
"  patawa,"  until  enough  were  cut  down  for  their 
purpose. 

Don  Pablo  next  looked  out  for  some  palm  of  a 
more  slender  trunk  for  the  rafters  and  joists. 

This  was  soon  found  in  the  "  catinga,"  which  is  a 
species  of  the  "  assai ."  palm,  (Euterpe,)  the  one  of 
which  we  have  just  spoken  as  producing  the  "  assai 
wine."  The  catinga  was  the  very  thing  for  the 
rafters.  It  is  tall,  nearly  forty  feet  high,  but  quite 
slender.     It  is  one  of  the  smooth  palms,  with  pinnate 


120  A    HOUSE    OF    PALMS. 

leaves  not  unlike  those  of  the  "  patawa."  There  is 
a  peculiarity  about  its  top  ;  that  is,  there  is  a  column 
or  sheath  of  several  feet  in  length,  out  of  which  the 
leaves  spring ;  and  at  the  lower  end  of  this  column, 
and  not  immediately  at  the  root  of  the  leaves,  the 
fruit  clusters  grow.  This  sheathing  column  is  of 
a  red  color,  which  gives  the  tree  a  strange  look. 
Another  peculiarity  of  the  catinga  is,  that  its  roots 
grow  out  of  the  ground,  and  from  a  little  cone  from 
the  top  of  which  rises  the  stem.  The  fruits  of  this 
sort  are  smaller  than  the  true  assai ;  but  a  drink  is 
also  made  from  them,  which  some  people  consider 
more  delicious  than  that  either  of  the  assai  or  patawa. 
The  rafters,  then,  were  got  from  the  catinga. 

Now  for  the  thatch  ;  that  was  the  next  considera- 
tion. 

"  Master ! "  cried  Guapo,  pointing  off  into  the 
woods  ;  "  yonder's  '  bussu'  — very  thing  for  thatch  !  " 

Guapo  indicated  a  very  singular-looking  tree,  with 
a  thick,  clumsy,  crooked,  and  deeply-ringed  stem. 
It  was  not  a  bit  like  either  of  the  palm  trees  they  had 
already  cut  down.  Its  trunk  was  not  over  ten  or  a 
dozen  feet  high  ;  but  then  such  leaves !  They  were 
not  pinnated,  like  those  already  described,  but  what  is 
termed  "  entire  ;"  that  is,  all  in  one  piece,  and  thirty 
feet  in  length  by  full  five  in  width !  Fancy  two  or 
three  dozen  of  these  gigantic  leaves  standing  up 
almost  erect  from  the  top  of  the  thick  trunk,  and  you 
may  form  some  idea  of  the  "  bussu  "  palm.  There 
are  many  palm  trees  whose  •  leaves  are  used  for 
thatching  houses ;  but  of  all  others  for  that  purpose 
the  bussu   is  the  best.      These  great  fronds  have  a 


A    HOUSE    OF    PALMS.  121 

midrib ;  and  from  this,  on  both  sides,  run  veins  in  a 
diagonal  direction  to  the  edge.  When  they  are  used 
for  thatch  the  leaf  is  split  up  the  midrib,  and  then 
each  half  is  laid  upon  the  rafters,  not  straight,  but  in 
such  a  way  that  the  veins  of  the  leaf  will  ire  in  a  ver- 
tical direction,  and  thus  serve  as  gutters  to  guide  the 
rain  water  down  the  roof.  A  very  few  leaves  will 
thatch  a  house ;  and  a  covering  of  this  kind,  when 
properly  laid  on,  will  last  for  ten  or  twelve  years.  So 
much  are  the  bussu  leaves  prized  for  thatch,  that  the 
Indians,  in  parts  where  this  palm  does  not  grow,  often 
make  a  canoe  voyage  of  a  week  to  procure  them. 

The  spathe  which  contains  the  flowers  is  also  put 
Jo  many  uses.  It  is  of  a  long  spindle  shape,  of 
fibrous,  clothlike  texture,  and  brown  color.  The 
Indians  use  it  as  cloth.  It  makes  an  excellent  bag, 
in  which  the  native  carries  his  paints  or  other  arti- 
cles ;  and  a  large  one,  stretched  out,  makes  a  very 
comfortable  cap.  Indeed  Guapo  used  the  first  spathe 
he  laid  his  hands  upon  for  this  very  purpose. 

There  remained  now  to  be  found  some  palm  tree 
that  would  split  easily,  and  make  laths  for  the  roof, 
as  well  as  planks  for  the  door,  shelves,  and  benches. 
They  soon  discovered  the  very  palm  for  these  pur- 
poses. It  was  one  of  the  genus  Iriartea,  and  known 
as  the  "  pashiuba  "  palm.  It  was  a  tree  that  differed 
from  all  the  others  in  its  aspect.  It  was  a  noble-look- 
ng  tree,  rising,  with  a  smooth  stem,  to  the  height  of 
seventy  feet.  At  its  top  there  was  a  sheathing  col- 
umn, swollen  larger  than  the  stem,  and  not  unlike  the 
sheathing  column  of  the  catinga,  already  mentioned, 
except  that  that  of  the  pashiuba  was  of  a  deep-green 


122  A    HOUSE    OF    PALMS. 

color.  Its  leaves,  however,  differed  materially  from 
those  of  the  catinga.  It  is  true-  that,  like  them,  they 
were  pinnate ;  but  the  leaflets,  instead  of  being  slen- 
der and- tapering,  were  of  a  triangular  shape,  notched 
along  the  edges,  and  not  growing  very  regularly  out 
from  the  midrib.  Their  general  arrangement  as 
well  as  the  form,  therefore,  gave  the  tree  a  different, 
and  perhaps  more  beautiful,  aspect.  But  the  most 
singular  characteristic  of  the  pashiuba  was  its  roots. 
I  have  said  that  the  roots  of  the  catinga  rose  above 
the  surface  of  the  soil.  So  did  they,  but  only  to  a 
limited  height,  forming  a  little  cone.  Now,  the  roots 
of  the  pashiuba  stood  up  to  the  height  of  ten  or  a 
dozen  feet!  Each  root  was  nearly  straight  in  itself; 
but  there  were  a  number  of  them,  and  they  sloped 
_  upwards,  so  as  to  make  a  sort  of  pyramid,  out  of  the 
apex  of  which  grew  the  stem.  There  were  wide 
spaces  between  the  roots  —  so  wide  that  you  could 
easily  pass  through ;  and  a  fullgrown  man  might 
stand  upright,  with  his  head  under  the  very  base  of 
the  stem.  Fancy  a  man  standing  under  the  trunk  of 
a  tree  that  rose  seventy  feet  above  his  head ! 

There  were  young  trees  of  the  same  species  grow- 
ing around,  and  these  were  miniature  models  of  the 
older  ones.  Sometimes  these  lesser  ones  are  sup- 
ported on  three  roots,  like  the  tripod  of  a  surveyor's 
compass,  and  this  gives  them  a  somewhat  ludicrous 
appearance.  There  are  many  species  of  this  sort 
of  palms,  which  are  classed  under  the  genus  Iriartea. 
In  most  of  them,  the  fruit,  which  is  small,  oval,  and 
red,  or  yellow,  is  bitter  and  uneatable  ;  but  their  wood 
is  prized  for   many  purposes.      The  wood  of    th« 


A   HOUSE    OF    PALMS.  123 

species  which  Don  Pablo  had  found  is  hard  on  the 
outside,  but  soft  withfn,  and  splits  readier  into  lath? 
and  planks  than  any  other  kind  of  palm. 

Guapo  attacked  the  roots  with  his  axe ;  and  enough 
trunks  were  soon  felled  to  make  laths,  doors,  and  all 
sorts  of  benches. 

The  different  kinds  were  now  collected  on  the  edge 
of  the  stream,  and  were  tied  together  by  a  ropelike, 
creeping  plant  called  a  "  sipo,"  so  that  they  formed 
a  rude  raft.  The  leaves  of  the  "  bussu,"  with  great 
clusters  of  the  fruits  of  the  catinga  and  patawa,  were 
laid  upon  the  raft;  and  then  Guapo,  mounting  him- 
self on  top  of  all,  pushed  out  with  his  long  pole,  and 
ferried  the  whole  across.  The  others  walked  round 
by  the  bridge,  and  were  just  in  time  to  assist  Guapo 
in  mooring  his  somewhat  unwieldy  craft. 

Next  day  the  framework  of  the  house  was  put  up, 
and,  on  the  day  after,  the  walls.  These  were  made 
of  bamboo  canes,  (Bamlmsa  guadua,)  plenty  of 
which  grew  near  the  bottom  of  the  valley.  They 
grew  wild  ;  for  the  slopes  of  the  Andes  are  the  favor- 
ite soil  of  these  gigantic  grasses.  They  were  set  on 
end,  side  by  side,  and  then  tied  to  each  other  and  to 
the  beams  of  palm  trees.  On  the  third  day  the 
"bussu"  leaves  were  laid  on,  and  the  house  was 
finished. 


124  TRACKING    THE    TAPIR. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

TRACKING  THE  TAPIR. 

It  has  been  already  mentioned  that  the  stream  m 
front  of  the  house  was  wider  than  at  other  parts, 
forming  a  sort  of  lake.  There  was  a  slow  current 
down  the  middle,  but  at  the  sides  the  water  was  near- 
ly stagnant ;  and  there  grew  in  some  places  bunches 
of  flags,  interspersed  with  beautiful  white  lilies. 
Among  these  could  be  distinguished  that  gigantic 
nympha  so  celebrated  under  the  name  of  Victoria 
regia — for  South  America  is  the  native  country  of 
this  rare  plant. 

Every  night,  as  our  party  were  resting  from  their 
labors,  they  heard  strange  noises  proceeding  from 
the  water.  There  was  plunging  and  plashing,  and 
now  and  then  a  snorting  sound  like  that  sometimes 
uttered  by  frightened  swine.  Perhaps  it  would  have 
puzzled  any  of  them  to  tell  whence  these  sounds  pro- 
ceeded or  what  animal  gave  utterance  to  them  ;  for 
there  could  be  no  doubt  they  were  caused  by  an  animal. 
Some  of  them  guessed  "  alligators ; "  but  that  was 
not  a  correct  guess ;  for,  although  there  are  plenty 
of  alligators  in  all  the  rivers  of  tropical  America,  there 
seemed  to  be  none  in  that  particular  place.  In  trutn, 
they  might  have  remained  long  in  the  dark  about 
what  creature  they  thus  heard  sweltering  about  night- 


TRACKING    THE    TAPIR.  125 

ly ;  for  they  could  neither  see  nor  hear  any  thing  of 
it  in  the  day.  But  Guapo,  who  knew  every  sound  of 
the  Montana,  enlightened  them  at  once.  Guapo  had 
been  a  keen  tapir  hunter  in  his  time,  and  understood 
all  the  habits  of  that  strange  animal.  It  was  a  tapir, 
then,  which  they  had  heard  taking  his  regular  nightly 
bath  and  regaling  himself  on  the  roots  of  the  flags 
and  nympha. 

Have  you  ever  seen  a  tapir  ?  Not  a  living  one,  I 
fancy  ;  perhaps  the  skin  of  one  in  a  museum.  He 
is  an  interesting  creature,  for  this  reason  —  that  he  is 
the  largest  land  animal  indigenous  to  South  America. 
The  lama  and  guanaco  stand  higher,  because  their 
legs  are  longer ;  but  they  are  far  inferior  to  the  tapir 
in  bulk  and  weight ;  while  the  bears  of  South  Amer- 
ica, of  which  there  are  two  or  three  species,  are 
small-sized  bears,  and  therefore  less  than  the  tapir. 
In  fact,  no  very  large  land  animals  were  found  indige- 
nous in  the  southern  division  of  the  American  con- 
tinent. There  were  none  of  the  bovine  tribe,  as  the 
buffalo  and  muskox  of  North  America  ;  and  no  large 
deer,  as  the  elk  and  moose  of  the  northern  latitudes. 
The  deer  of  South  America,  of  which  there  are  sev- 
eral undescribed  species,  are  all  small  animals.  The 
tapir,  then,  in  point  of  size,  takes  precedence  in  the 
South  America  fauna. 

His  rounded  body  gives  him  some  resemblance  tc 
a  great  hog,  or  a  donkey  with  its  hair  shaved  off; 
but,  in  fact,  he  is  not  very  like  either  ;  he  is  more 
like  a  tapir  than  any  thing  else  —  that  is,  he  is  a 
creature  sui  generis.  Perhaps  if  you  were  to  shave 
a  large  donkey,  cut  off  most  part  of  his  ears  and  tail. 


126  TRACKING    THE    TAPIR. 

shoiren  his  limbs,  —  and,  if  possible,  make  them 
stouter  and  clumsier,  —  lengthen  his  upper  jaw  so 
that  it  should  protrude  over  the  under  one  into  a  pro- 
longed curving  snout,  and  then  give  him  a  coat  of 
blackish-brown  paint,  you  would  get  something  not 
unlike  a  tapir.  To  complete  the  resemblance,  how- 
ever, you  would  have  to  continue  the  erect  mane  over 
the  forehead,  between  the  ears,  and  down  to  the  leve 
of  the  eyes,  which  would  give  that  crested  appear- 
ance that  characterizes  the  tapir.  Instead  of  hoofs, 
moreover,  you  would  give  your  donkey  large  toes  — 
four  upon  the  fore  feet,  and  upon  the  hind  ones  three. 
A  little  silky  hair  upon  the  stumped  tail,  and  a  few 
thinly-scattered  hairs  of  a  brown  color  over  the  body, 
would  make  the  likeness  still  more  striking ;  and  it 
would  be  necessary,  too,  that  the  donkey  be  one  of 
the  very  biggest  kind  to  be  as  big  as  a  big  tapir. 

The  tapir  is  a  harmless  creature  ;  and  although  it 
has  a  good  set  of  teeth,  it  never  uses  them  for  the 
purpose  of  defending  itself.  When  attacked  by 
either  men  or  fierce  animals,  it  tries  to  escape  by 
flight,  and  if  that  fails,  submits  to  be  killed ;  but 
there  is  no  "  fight "  to  be  got  out  of  a  tapir. 

The  tapir  leads  a  very  solitary  life,  being  met  with 
alone,  or  sometimes  in  the  company  of  the  female. 
The  latter  has  but  one  young  at  a  birth,  which  follows 
her  until  able  to  provide  for  itself;  when  they  associ- 
ate no  longer  together,  but  part  company,  each  taking 
its  own  way. 

This  animal  is  called  amphibious,  because  it  spends 
part  of  its  time  in  the  water ;  but,  although  it  has 
been   called    the    American    representative    of   the 


TRACKING    THE    TAPIR.  127 

rhinoceros  and  hippopotamus,  it  is  not  so  much  a 
water  animal  as  either  of  these.  It  seeks  its  food  iu 
the  river,  or  the  marshes  that  border  it,  and  can  re- 
main for  several  minutes  under  water  ;  but,  for  all 
that,  most  of  its  time  is  passed  on  dry  land.  £ 
sleeps  during  the  day  in  some  dry  spot  upon  a 
bed  of  withered  leaves,  from  whence  it  sallies  every 
evening,  and  makes  to  the  marshy  banks  of  some 
well-known  stream.  It  frequently  leaves  its  lair 
during  rain,  and  goes  in  search  of  food.  Like  hogs, 
it  is  very  fond  of  wallowing  in  a  muddy  place  ;  but, 
unlike  these  slovenly  animals,  it  does  not  return  to  its 
bed  until  it  has  plunged  into  the  clear  water  and  thor- 
oughly purified  itself  of  the  mud. 

One  habit  of  the  tapir  —  and  an  unfortunate  one 
for  itself — is,  that  in  going  its  rounds  it  always  fol- 
lows the  old  track.  In  this  way  a  path  is  soon 
formed  from  its  lair  to  its  feeding-place,  so  conspicu- 
ous that  a  hunter  might  trail  it  upon  the  run.  It  is 
easy,  therefore,  to  "  waylay  "  a  tapir.  Guapo  knew 
this  well,  and  had  already,  while  over  among  the 
palms,  marked  the  track  of  one  that  came  nightly  to 
the  stream,  and  had  settled  it  in  his  mind  that  that 
particular  tapir  had  not  many  days  to  live.  In  fact 
Leon  coaxed  him  to  fix  the  tapir  hunt  for  the  next 
morning  ;  which  Guapo,  with  Don  Pablo's  permission, 
accordingly  did.  Guapo  was  anxious  as  any  of  them 
to  kill  the  tapir;  for,  like  many  Indians,  he  was  fond 
of  its  flesh,  though  that  is  by  no  means  a  palatable 
article  of  food.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  dry,  and  to 
most  people  tastes  disagreeably.  Guapo,  however, 
liked  it  exceedingly  ;  and,  moreover,  he  wanted  the 


128  TRACKING    THE    TAPIR. 

tough  skin  for  some  purpose  of  his  own.  The  wild 
Indians  value  the  skin  highly,  as  it  is  the  best  thing 
they  can  procure  for  "  viches,"  or  shields,  to  ward 
off  the  poisoned  arrows  of  their  enemies. 

Next  morning,  an  hour  or  so  after  daybreak,  Guapo 
started  for  the  hunt,  accompanied  by  Leon.  Don 
Pablo  remained  at  home  with  his  wife  and  the  little 
Lecna.  Now,  had  the  tapir  hunter  possessed  a  gun, 
or  even  a  bow  and  arrows,  his  plan  of  proceeding 
would  have  been  different,  and  he  would  no  doubt 
have  chosen  a  different  hour  for  the  hunt.  He  would 
have  chosen  the  twilight  of  the  evening  or  morning, 
and  would  have  hid  himself  in  the  bushes,  so  as  to 
command  a  view  of  the  track  which  the  tapir  would 
be  certain  to  take  on  his  way  to  or  from  the  water. 
He  would  then  have  simply  shot  the  creature  as  it 
was  going  past.  But  this  is  not  so  easy  a  matter 
neither ;  for  the  tapir,  fearful  of  enemies  while  on 
land,  always  travels  at  a  trot.  As  Guapo  had  neither 
bow  nor  gun,  —  nothing,  in  fact,  but  his  machete, — 
how  was  he  to  get  near  enough  to  use  this  weapon  ? 
Clumsy  looking  as  the  tapir  certainly  is,  he  can 
shuffle  over  the  ground  faster  than  the  fastest  Indian. 

Guapo  knew  all  this  ;  but  he  also  knew  a  strata- 
gem by  which  the  amphibious  brute  could  be  out- 
witted ;  and  this  stratagem  he  designed  putting  in 
practice.  For  the  purpose  he  carried  another  weapon 
besides  the  machete.  That  weapon  was  a  very  pacific 
one  ;  it  was  a  spade.  Fortunately  he  had  one  whicn 
he  had  brought  with  him  from  the  mountains. 

Now,  what  did  Guapo  mean  to  do  with  the  spade  ? 
The  tapir  is  not  a  burrowing  animal,  and  therefore 


TRACKING   THE    TAPIR.  129 

would  not  require  to  be  "  dug  out."  We  shall  pres- 
ently see  what  use  was  made  of  the  spade. 

After  crossing  the  bridge  and  getting  well  round 
among  the  palms,  the  hunter  came  upon  a  path  well 
tracked  into  the  mud.  It  was  the  path  of  the  tapir — . 
that  could  be  easily  seen.  There  were  the  broad 
footmarks,  some  with  three  and  others  with  four  toes  ; 
and  there,  too,  were  places  where  the  animal  had 
"  wallowed."  The  tracks  were  quite  fresh,  and 
made,  as  Guapo  said,  not  an  hour  before  they  had 
arrived  on  the  spot. 

This  was  just  what  the  tapir  hunter  wanted  ;  and, 
choosing  a  place  where  the  track  ran  between  two 
palm  trees,  and  could  not  well  have  gone  round 
either  of  them,  he  halted,  rested  his  machete  against 
a  tree,  and  took  a  determined  hold  of  the  spade. 
Leon  now  began  to  see  what  use  he  intended  to  make 
of  the  spade.     He  was  going  to  dig  a  pit. 

That  was,  in  fact,  the  very  thing  he  was  going  to 
do ;  and  in  less  than  an  hour,  with  the  help  of  Leon, 
it  was  done  —  the  latter  carrying  away  the  earth 
upon  "  bussu  "  leaves  as  fast  as  Guapo  shovelled  it 
out.  When  the  pit  was  sunk  to  what  Guapo  consid- 
ered a  sufficient  depth,  he  came  out  of  it;  and  then, 
choosing  some  slender  poles,  with  palm  leaves, 
branches,  and  grass,  he  covered  it  in  such  a  manner 
that  a  fox  himself  would  not  have  known  it  to  be 
a  pit  trap.  But  such  it  was  —  wide  enough  and 
deep  enough,  as  Guapo  deemed,  to  entrap  the  largest 
tapir. 

It  now  only  remained  to  get  the  tapir  into  it ;  but 
therein  lay  the  difficulty.  Leon  could  not  understand 
9 


130  TRACKING    THE    TAPIR. 

how  this  was  to  be  managed.  He  knew  that  at  night, 
as  the  animal  was  on  its  way  to  the  water,  it  might 
step  on  the  covering  and  fall  in.  But  Guapo  had 
promised  him  that  he  should  see  the  tapir  trapped  in 
an  hour's  time.  Guapo  had  a  plan  of  his  own  for 
bringing  it  that  way;  and  he  at  once  proceeded  to  put 
his  plan  into  execution. 

They  started  along  the  trail  going  from  the  water, 
and  towards  the  lair  of  the  beast.  The  hunter  knew 
it  would  not  be  very  distant ;  perhaps  a  quarter  or 
half  a  mile  —  perhaps  less.  Before  starting  he  cau- 
tioned Leon  to  keep  close  behind  him,  and  not  to 
make  the  least  noise.  So  little  as  a  whisper  or  the 
rustling  of  the  brush,  he  alleged,  might  spoil  all  his 
plans.  Guapo  marched,  or  rather  crouched,  along, 
at  first  freely ;  but  after  some  time  his  step  grew 
more  stealthy  and  cautious.  He  knew  that  he  was 
getting  near  to  the  sleeping  victim.  After  stopping 
and  repeating  his  caution  to  his  companion,  he  pro- 
ceeded as  before  until  they  had  got  better  than  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  water.  Here  they  began 
to  ascend  a  gentle  hill,  where  the  ground  was  dry 
and  strewed  with  fallen  trees.  At  some  places  the 
trail  was  difficult  to  make  out ;  and  Leon  would  soon 
have  lost  it  had  he  been  left  to  himself;  but  thero 
was  no  fear  of  Guapo  losing  it.  A  hound  could  not 
have  followed  it  more  surely. 

Suddenly  Guapo  stopped,  then  went  on  a  few 
steps,  then  stopped  a  second  time,  and  made  a  sign 
for  Leon  to  come  up.  Without  speaking,  he  pointed 
to  a  little  thicket  of  scrubby  bushes,  through  the 
leaves  of  which  they  could  just  make  out  some  largo 


TRACKING    THE    TAPIR.  131 

brown  object  perfectly  at  rest.  That  was  the  tapir 
himself,  sound  asleep. 

Guapo  had  already  instructed  his  companion  that, 
when  they  should  arrive  near  the  den  of  the  animal, 
they  were  to  make  a  wide  circuit  around  —  Leon 
going  one  way,  while  he  himself  took  the  other. 
Both  now  drew  back  a  little,  and  then  parted  —  the 
hunter  going  to  one  side,  and  Leon  in  the  opposite 
direction.  After  making  their  circuit,  they  met  at 
some  distance  beyond  the  back  of  the  den  ;  and  then 
Guapo,  telling  the  other  to  follow  him,  and  without 
observing  any  further  caution,  walked  straight  to- 
wards where  the  tapir  lay.  The  Indian  knew  by  ex- 
perience that  the  latter,  when  roused,  would  make 
directly  along  its  accustomed  trail  to  the  water;  for 
to  the  water  it  always  flies  when  alarmed  by  an  en- 
emy. When  they  had  got  within  a  few  paces  of  the 
den  a  movement  was  seen  among  the  leaves  ;  then 
a  crackling  noise  was  heard,  as  the  huge  body  of  the 
animal  broke  through  the  bushes  and  took  to  flight. 
He  did  not  trot,  according  to  his  usual  gait,  but  went 
off  in  a  gallop,  with  his  head  carried  in  a  singular 
and  awkward  manner  between  his  fore  legs.  You 
have  no  doubt  seen  a  donkey  sometimes  gallop  in  a 
similar  style. 

Guapo  bounded  after,  followed  by  Leon,  who  kept 
close  at  his  heels.  Of  course  the  tapir  was  in  sight 
only  a  few  seconds  ;  but  the  hunter  knew  that  he 
would  take  the  beaten  track,  and  therefore  was  at  no 
loss.  They  made  no  unnecessary  noise,  lest  the 
tapir  might  be  frightened  from  its  path,  but  ran  on  in 
silence. 


132  TRACKING   THE    TAPIil. 

They  soon  got  back  to  the  pitfall,  Guapo  of  course 
leading  the  way. 

"  Hola !  "  cried  the  latter,  when  he  came  in  sight 
of  it  —  "  hola,  young  master  !     He's  in  the  trap  !  " 

Sure  enough,  he  was ;  and  the  next  moment  they 
stood  upon  the  edge  of  the  pit,  and  beheld  the  great 
brown  body  struggling  and  tumbling  about  at  the 
bottom. 

Guapo  did  not  pause  a  moment,  but  leaped  in, 
machete  in  hand.  He  had  no  fear  of  the  animal 
biting  him,  for  he  knew  it  would  not  do  so ;  but 
Guapo,  in  his  hurry,  had  leaped  carelessly,  and,  his 
foot  slipping,  he  fell  over  the  smooth  body  of  the 
tapir.  The  latter,  in  its  fright,  jumped  upward  ;  and 
the  next  moment  Guapo  was  undermost  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  pit. 

The  animal  had  no  design  of  trampling  the  hunfer ; 
but,  seeing  that  it  could  easily  leap  out,  —  the  pit 
being  shallowed  for  it  by  Guapo's  body  and  the  fallen 
branches,  —  it  made  a  spring,  and  came  out  on  the 
edge.  Leon  had  got  round  upon  the  side  next  the 
river ;  but  he  chanced  to  be  on  the  wrong  side  just 
then;  for  the  heavy  tapir,  dashing  past,  knocked 
against  him,  and  sent  him  sprawling  among  the  trees. 
Before  he  could  recover  himself  or  Guapo  climb  out 
of  the  pit,  a  loud  plunge  in  the  water  announced  that 
the  animal  had  escaped  to  an  element  where  it  might 
defy  their  pursuit. 

Both  were  quite  crestfallen  and  disappointed,  but 
Guapo  especially  so.  He  had  prided  himself  very 
much  on  his  skill  as  a  tapir  hunter,  and  his  pride  was 
mortified  at  the  result.     He  seemed  very  much  cha- 


TRACKING    THE    TAPIR.  133 

grined  ;  and,  as  he  and  Leon  returned  towards  the 
house,  he  stopped  at  intervals  and  looked  into  the 
water ;  then,  shaking  his  machete  in  a  threatening 
manner,  cried  out,  — 

"  Dive  #away,  old  thickskin  !     Dive  deep  as  you 
will,  I'll  have  your  hide  yet." 


134  THE    POISONED   ARROWS 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  POISONED  ARROWS. 

The  result  of  the  tapir  chase  determined  Guapo  to 
have  himself  better  armed.  There  was  one  weapon 
—  and  a  very  efficient  ore  too  —  which  he  knew  how 
both  to  make  and  use.  That  weapon  was  a  "  grava- 
tana,"  or  blow  gun,  sometimes  called  "  pocuna."  He 
had  had  an  eye  to  this  weapon  all  along,  and  had 
already  provided  the  materials  necessary  for  making 
it.  These  materials  were  of  a  varied  character,  and 
had  cost  him  some  trouble  in  getting  them  together. 

First,  then,  for  the  blow  tube  itself  he  had  cut 
stems  of  a  slender  palm  tree  —  a  species  of  Iriartea, 
but  not  that  sort  already  described.  It  was  the  Pashi- 
uba  miri  of  the  Indians.  This  little  palm  grows  to 
the  height  of  from  twelve  to  twenty  feet,  and  is  never 
thicker  than  a  man's  wrist.  Its  roots,  like  the  others 
of  its  genus,  rise  above  the  ground,  but  only  a  few 
inches.  The  stems  which  Guapo  had  chosen  were 
of  different  sizes.  One  was  about  the  thickness  of 
the  handle  of  a  garden  rake,  while  the  other  was  not 
over  the  diameter  of  a  walking  cane.  Both  were 
hollow  in  the  heart,  or  rather  they  contained  pith 
like  the  alder  tree,  which  when  forced  out  left  a 
smooth  bore. 

Having  cut  these  stems  to  a  length  of  about  ten 


THE    POISONED    ARROWS.  135 

feet,  and  pushed  out  the  pith,  Guapo  inserted  the 
smaller  one  into  the  bore  of  the  larger,  which  fitted 
tightly  all  the  way  —  for  he  had  chosen  it  of  the 
proper  thickness  to  this  end.  The  object  of  thus 
using  two  stems  instead  of  one  will  not,  at  first,  be 
understood.  It  was  for  the  purpose  of  making  the 
tube  perfectly  straight,  as  this  is  a  most  important 
consideration  in  the  gravatana.  The  outer  and  strong- 
er stem  corrected  any  bend  that  there  might  be  in  the 
inner  one,  and  they  were  carefully  arranged  so  that 
the  one  should  straighten  the  other.  Had  it  not  been 
perfectly  straight,  Guapo  would  have  bound  it  to  a 
post  and  made  it  so ;  but  it  happened  to  come  quite 
right  without  further  trouble.  The  tube  of  the  lesser 
one  was  now  cleaned  out  thoroughly,  and  polished  by 
a  little  bunch  of  the  roots  of  a  tree  fern  until  it  was 
as  smooth  and  hard  as  ebony.  A  mouthpiece  of 
wood  was  placed  at  the  smaller  end  of  the  tube,  and 
a  sight  was  glued  on  the  outside.  This  "  sight "  was 
the  tooth  of  an  animal  —  one  of  the  long,  curving 
incisors  of  a  rodent  animal  called  the  "  oaca,"  which 
is  found  in  most  parts  of  tropical  America.  To 
make  the  instrument  look  neater,  Guapo  had  pro- 
cured the  tough,  shining  bark  of  a  creeping  plant, 
which  he  wound  spirally  around  the  outside  from  the 
mouthpiece  to  the  muzzle  ;  and  then  the  gravatana 
was  finished. 

There  was  yet  much  to  be  done  before  it  could  be 
used.  Arrows  were  to  be  made,  and  a  quiver  in 
which  to  carry  them,  and  poison  to  dip  their  points 
in  —  for  the  arrows  of  the  blow  gun  do  not  kill  by 


136  THE    POISONED   ARROWS. 

the  wound  they  inflict,  but  by  the  poison  with  which 
they  are  charged. 

,  The  next  thing,  then,  to  which  Guapo  turned  his 
attention  was  the  manufacture  of  the  arrows.  These 
can  be  made  of  cane,  reeds,  and  other  kinds  of 
wood  ;  but  the  best  materials  for  the  purpose  are  the 
long  spines  of  the  patawa  palm,  of  which  I  have 
already  spoken.  These  spines  grow  out  from  the 
lower  part  of  the  leaf  petioles,  and,  in  young  trees 
and  those  much  sheltered,  remain  upon  the  trunk, 
giving  it  a  very  shaggy  appearance.  They  are  often 
three  feet  in  length,  about  as  thick  as  large  wire, 
rather  flattish,  and  of  a  black  color.  To  make  the 
arrows,  Guapo  cut  them  to  the  length  of  fifteen  or 
eighteen  inches,  and  then  pointed  them  sharply  at 
one  end.  About  three  inches  from  the  points  he 
notched  them  all,  so  that  they  would  break  in  the 
wound  rather  than  drop  out  again,  in  consequence  of 
the  struggles  of  the  animal.  About  two  or  three  inches 
from  the  thick  end  of  the  arrow  Guapo  wrapped  light- 
ly around  the  shaft  some  strands  of  the  soft  silky 
cotton,  which  he  had  procured  from  the  pods  of  the 
great  "  ceiba,"  or  silk-cotton  tree,  already  mentioned. 
This  he  fastened  on  with  a  fibre  of  an  aloe  plant  — 
one  of  the  bromelias ;  and  the  cotton,  when  thus 
secured,  assumed  a  conical  or  spindle  shape,  having 
its  larger  end  towards  the  but  of  the  arrow.  When 
inserted  into  the  gravatana,  the  swell  of  the  cotton 
filled  the  tube  exactly  —  not  so  tightly  as  to  impede 
the  passage  of  the  arrow,  nor  so  loosely  as  to  allow 
of  "  windage  "  when  blown  upon  through  the  mouth* 
piece. 


THE    POISONED    ARROWS.  137 

The  arrows  were  now  ready,  with  the  exception  of 
the  poison  for  their  tips  ;  and  this  was  the  most  im- 
portant of  all,  for  without  it  both  blow  gun  and  arrows 
would  have  been  useless  weapons  indeed.  But 
Guapo  was  just  the  man  who  knew  how  to  make  this 
poison ;  and  that  is  more  than  could  be  said  of  every 
Indian,  for  it  is  only  the  "  piaches  "  (priests,  or  "  med- 
icine men")  who  understand  the  process.  Nay, 
more  :  there  are  even  some  tribes  where  not  an  indi- 
vidual knows  how  the  arrow  poison  is  made ;  and 
these  have  to  procure  it  by  barter  from  others,  paying 
a  high  price,  and  sometimes  going  a  great  distance 
for  it. 

This  celebrated  poison  is  known  under  different 
names  ;  but  those  of  "  curare,"  "  ticuna,"  and  "  wou- 
raly,"  are  the  principal. 

It  is  one  of  the  most  deadly  poisons  yet  discovered 
—  as  much  so  as  the  upastiente  of  Java  or  the  bean 
of  St.  Ignatius  ;  but  it  is  perfectly  harmless  when 
swallowed,  and  indeed  it  is  often  taken  by  the  In- 
dians as  an  excellent  stomachic.  Should  it  get  into 
the  blood,  however,  by  means  of  an  arrow  wound  or 
a  sore,  no  remedy  has  yet  been  discovered  that  will 
cure  it.  Death  is  certain,  and  a  death  similar  to  that 
caused  by  the  bite  of  a  venomous  serpent.  So  say 
those  who  have  suffered  from  it,  but  recovered  on 
account  of  their  having  been  only  slightly  wounded 
or  lightly  inoculated  with  it.  Let  us  see,  then,  how 
Guapo  prepared  this  deadly  mixture. 

He  had  gone  out  to  the  forest,  and  returned  carry- 
ing a  bundle  of  slender  rods.  They  were  pieces  of 
a  lliana,  or  creeping  plant.     It  was  the    bejuco  dt 


138  THE    POISONED   ARROWS. 

curare,  or  "  mavacure,"  as  it  is  sometimes  called. 
The  leaves  he  had  stripped  off  and  left  behind  as 
useless.  Had  he  brought  them  with  him,  they  would 
have  been  seen  to  be  small  leaves  of  an  oblong-oval 
shape,  sharp  at  the  points,  and  of  a  whitish-green 
'color.  Don  Pablo  knew  the  plant  to  be  a  species  of 
Strychnos. 

Guapo  with  his  knife  first  scraped  all  the  bark,  as 
well  as  the  alburnum  or  white  coating,  from  the  rods, 
which  last  he  flung  away.  The  mixture  of  bark  and 
alburnum  was  next  placed  upon  a  smooth  stone  and 
mashed  into  a  fibre  of  a  yellowish  color.  This  done, 
it  was  gathered  into  a  heap,  and  placed  within  a  fun- 
nel which  had  already  been  made  out  of  a  plantain 
leaf.  The  funnel  was  a  long,  narrow  cone ;  and  to 
strengthen  it,  it  was  set  within  another  funnel  made 
of  the  thick  leaf  of  the  "  bussu  "  palm,  and  then  both 
were  supported  by  a  framework  of  palm  fibres.  Un- 
derneath the  apex  was  placed  a  small  pan,  —  which 
could  afterwards  be  put  over  the  fire,  —  and  then  cold 
water  was  thrown  into  the  funnel  along  with  the  bark. 
A  yellowish  liquid  soon  commenced  to  filter  and  drip 
into  the  pan  ;  and  this  liquid  was  the  curare,  the  arrow 
poison.  It  still  required,  however,  to  be  concentrated 
by  evaporation  ;  and  for  this  purpose  the  pan  was 
transferred  to  a  slow  fire,  where  it  was  kept  until  the 
liquid  became  thickened  by  the  heat. 

Another  process  was  yet  required  before  the  curare 
was  ready  for  the  arrows.  It  was  sufficiently  concen- 
trated and  deadly,  but  still  too  thin  to  adhere  properly 
to  their  tips ;  and  for  this  purpose  a  mixture  of  some 
gummy  juice  was  necessary.     This  Guapo  soon  pre- 


THE    POISONED   ARROWS,  139 

pared  from  the  large  leaves  of  a  tree  called  the 
•'•  kiracaguero  "  and  poured  it  into  the  infusion  ;  and 
then  the  curare  turned  from  its  yellow  color  to  black, 
and  was  ready  for  use.  The  change  of  color  was 
produced  by  the  decomposition  of  a  hydruret  of  car- 
bon ;  the  hydrogen  was  burned  and  the  carbon  set 
free. 

Guapo  now  dipped  a  few  of  his  arrows,  and  care- 
fully deposited  them  in  a  large  joint  of  bamboo,  which 
served  as  a  quiver.  I  say  carefully ;  for,  had  one  of 
these  arrows  dropped  with  its  poisoned  point  upon  his 
naked  foot,  or  wounded  him  elsewhere,  he  never 
would  have  prepared  any  more  curare.  But  he 
handled  them  with  care,  and  the  remainder  of  the 
liquid  he  poured  into  a  small  gourd,  (similar  to  that 
in  which  he  carried  his  coca  lime,)  which  he  closely 
corked  up  with  a  piece  of  the  pith  from  a  palm. 

Don  Pablo,  with  Dona  Isidora  and  the  children,  had 
watched  with  interest  all  this  process.  At  first  they 
were  afraid  to  go  near,  believing  that  the  fumes  of 
the  liquid  might  be  injurious.  This  was  long  believed 
to  be  the  case,  in  consequence  of  the  absurd  tales 
spread  abroad  by  the  old  missionaries,  and  even  at  a 
later  period  by  the  traveller  La  Condamine.  These 
asserted  that,  when  the  Indians  wished  to  make  the 
curare  poison,  they  selected  for  this  purpose  the  old 
women  of  the  tribe,  whose  lives  were  not  deemed  of 
any  value,  and  that  several  of  these  always  fell  a 
sacrifice  while  "cooking"  the  curare.  This  silly 
story  is  now  refuted  ;  and  Guapo  not  only  assured 
his  companions  that  there  was  no  danger,  but  even 
tasted  the  curare  from  time  to  time  while  in  the  pan, 


140  THE    POISONED    ARROWS. 

in  order  to  judge  when  it  was  sufficiently  concentrat- 
ed. This  he  could  tell  by  its  taste,  as  it  grew  more 
and  more  bitter  as  the  evaporation  proceeded.  The 
arrow  poisons  of  South  America  are  not  all  made 
from  the  creeping  plant,  the  mavacure.  Among 
s3me  Indian  tribes  a  root  is  used  called  "  curare  de 
raiz  ; "  and  with  others  the  poison  is  produced  by  a 
mixture  of  several  species  of  juices  from  the  plant 
Ambihuasca,  tobacco,  red  pepper,  a  bark  called  "  bar- 
basco,"  from  a  tree  of  the  genus  Jacquinia,  and  a 
plant  of  the  name  "sarnango."  Of  all  these  the 
juice  of  the  Ambihuasca  is  the  most  powerful  ingre- 
dient ;  but  the  making  of  this  species  of  poison  is  a 
most  complicated  process. 

Guapo  was  not  long  in  having  an  opportunity  to 
test  his  gravatana  ;  and  this' was  just  what  he  desired  ; 
for  the  old  Indian  was  not  a  little  vain  of  his  skill, 
and  he  wished  to  make  a  show  of  it  in  the  eyes  of 
his  companions.  His  vanity,  however,  was  the  more 
pardonable,  as  he  was  in  reality  a  first-rate  shot, 
which  he  proved  to  the  satisfaction  of  every  body  with- 
in half  an  hour.  The  instrument  had  scarcely  been 
finished  and  laid  aside  when  a  loud  screaming  and 
chattering  was  heard  in  the  air ;  and  on  looking  up,  a 
flock  of  large  birds  was  seen  flying  over  the  heavens. 
They  were  still  high  up  ;  but  all  of  a  sudden  they 
darted  down  together  and  alit  on  a  tall  tree  that  stood 
nearly  alone.  Here  they  continued  their  chattering, 
only  in  a  lower  and  more  confidential  tone  ;  and  they 
could  be  seen,  not  hopping,  but  climbing  about,  some- 
times with  their  backs  and  heads  turned  downwards, 
and,  in  short,  clinging  to  the  branches  in  every  irnagi- 


THE    POISONED    ARROWS.  141 

nab/e  way.  These  birds  were  all  of  one  kind,  each 
of  them  full  eighteen  inches  in  length,  and  of  a  uni- 
form color  over  the  body,  which  was  a  purple,  or 
deep  indigo  —  their  beaks  only  being  white.  In  the 
sun  their  plumage  glistened  with  a  metallic  lustre. 
They  were,  in  fact,  a  rare  species  —  the  ana,  or 
purple  macaw. 

Without  saying  a  word,  Guapo  seized  his  gravata- 
na  and  arrows  and  stole  off  through  the  underwood 
towards  the  tree  upon  which  the  macaws  had  perched. 
In  a  few  minutes  he  stood  under  it,  screened  from  the 
view  of  the  birds  by  the  broad  leaves  of  a  plantain 
that  happened  to  grow  beneath.  This  cover  was 
necessary ;  else  the  macaws,  which  are  shy  birds, 
might  have  uttered  one  of  their  wild,  choral  screams, 
and  flown  off.  They  did  not,  however ;  and  Guapo 
had  a  fair  chance  at  them.  All  his  movements  could 
be  observed  by  the  party  at  the  house,  as  he  was  on 
that  side  of  the  plantain. 

He  was  seen  to  adjust  an  arrow  into  the  tube,  and 
then  raise  the  gravatana  to  his  lips.  Strange  to  say, 
he  did  not  hold  it  as  we  do  a  common  gun  —  that  is, 
with  the  left  hand  advanced  along  the  tube.  On  the 
contrary,  both  hands  were  held  nearly  together,  at 
the  lower  end,  and  close  to  his  mouth.  Now,  you  will 
wonder  how  he  could  hold  such  a  long  tube  steady  in 
this  way.  It  is,  indeed,  a  very  difficult  thing,  and 
much  practice  alone  can  accomplish  it.  As  they 
watched  him  narrowly,  his  chest  was  seen  to  expand, 
his  cheeks  rose  with  a  strong  "  puff,"  and  some  of 
them  thought  they  could  perceive  the  passage  of  the 


142  THE    POISONED    ARROWS. 

little  arrow  out  of  the  tube.  However  this  might  be, 
they  soon  after  saw  something  sticking  in  the  side  of 
one  of  the  macaws,  and  could  see  the  bird  pecking 
at  it  with  its  great  beak  and  trying  to  pull  it  out.  In 
this  it  appeared  to  have  succeeded  after  a  short  while, 
for  something  fell  from  the  tree.  It  was  the  shaft, 
with  its  cotton  "  boss,"  that  fell  down.  The  point, 
broken  off  where  it  had  been  notched,  was  still  in  the 
body  of  the  bird,  and  was  infusing  the  deadly  venom 
into  its  veins.  In  about  two  minutes'  time  the  wound- 
ed bird  seemed  to  grow  giddy,  and  began  to  stagger. 
It  then  fell  over,  still  clutching  the  branch  with  its 
strong,  prehensile  claws ;  but  after  hanging  a  mo- 
ment, these,  too,  relaxed,  and  the  body  fell  heavily  to 
the  ground.     It  was  quite  dead. 

Long  before  it  came  down  Guapo  had  pushed  a 
fresh  arrow  into  the  tube  and  given  a  fresh  puff 
through  it,  wounding  a  second  of  the  macaws.  Then 
another  arrow  was  chosen,  and  another  victim,  until 
several  had  been  shot,  and  the  creatures  upon  the  tree 
could  be  seen  in  all  stages  of  dying.  Some,  on  re- 
ceiving the  wound,  uttered  a  cry  and  flew  off;  but  the 
poison  soon  brought  their  down,  and  they  invariably 
fell  at  no  great  distance  from  the  tree. 

At  length  Guapo  was  seen  to  desist  and  walk  bold- 
ly out  from  his  ambush.  To  the  surprise  of  all,  the 
remaining  macaws,  of  which  there  were  still  six  or 
seven  upon  the  tree,  showed  no  fear  of  him,  nor  did 
they  attempt  to  fly  away.  This  was  explained,  how- 
ever, by  their  subsequent  conduct ;  for  in  a  few  sec- 
onds more  they  were  seen,  one  by  one,  falling  to  the 


THE    POISONED    ARROWS.  143 

ground,  until  not  a  single  bird  was  left  upon  the  tree. 
All  of  them  had  been  killed  by  the  arrows  of  the 
blow  gun. 

Leon  now  run  out  to  assist  Guapo  in  gathering  his 
game.  There  were  no  less  than  eight  couple  of  them 
in  all,  and  they  were  all  quite  dead  —  some  of  them 
shot  in  the  thigh,  some  in  the  neck  or  wing  and 
others  through  the  body.  None  of  them  had  i'ved 
over  two  minutes  after  receiving  the  wound.  Such 
is  the  quickness  with  which  the  "  curare "  does  its 
work. 

As  a  hunting  instrument  for  most  species  of  game, 
the  South  American  Indian  prefers  the  gravatana  to 
any  other  ;  and  with  good  reason.  Had  Guapo  been 
armed  with  a  rifle  or  fowling  piece  he  would  have 
shot  one  macaw,  or  perhaps  a  pair,  and  then  the  rest 
would  have  uttered  a  tantalizing  scream  and  winged 
their  way  out  of  his  reach.  He  might  have  missed 
the  whole  flock,  too;  for  on  a  high  tree,  such  as  that 
on  which  they  had  alit,  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  kill  a 
macaw  with  a  shot  gun.  Now  the  gravatana  throws 
its  arrow  to  a  height  of  from  thirty  to  forty  yards, 
and  the  least  touch  is  sufficient  to  do  the  business. 
Its  silence,  moreover,  enables  the  hunter  to  repeat  the 
shot  until  several  head  of  game  reward  his  skill- 
The  Indians  use  it  wit  J1  most  effect  in  9  vertical  or 
upward  direction  ;  and  they  are  always  surer  to  kill 
a  bird  with  it  when  perched  on  a  high  tree  thai*  when 
seated  on  a  low  shrub  or  on  the  ground. 

As  we  have  observed  that  the  curare  can  be  taken 
inwardly  without  any  danger,  it  will  be  evident  to  all 


144  THE    POISONED   ARROWS. 

that  game  killed  by  the  poisoned  arrows  may  be 
eaten  with  safety.  Indeed  there  are  many  epicures 
in  South  America  who  prefer  it  in  this  way  ;  and 
when  a  chicken  is  wanted  for  the  table,  these  people 
require  that  it  should  be  killed  by  an  arrow  dipped  in 
curare. 


THE    MILK    TREE.  145 


CHAPTER  XX. 


THE  MILK  TREE. 


Guapo  kept  his  promise  with  the  tapir,  and  on  that 
rery  same  day.  Shortly  after  the  macaws  had  been 
brought  in,  little  Leona,  who  had  been  straying  down 
by  the  water's  edge,  came  running  back  to  the  house, 
and  in  breathless  haste  cried  out,  "  Mamma  !  mamma  ! 
what  a  big  hog  ! " 

"  Where,  my  pet  ?  "  inquired  her  mother,  with  a 
degree  of  anxiety ;  for  she  fancied  that  the  child 
might  have  seen  some  fierce  beast  of  prey  instead 
of  a  hog. 

"  In  the  water,"  replied  Leona ;  "  among  the  great 
lilies." 

"  It's  the  tapir ! "  cried  Leon.  "  Carrambo  !  it's 
our  tapir! " 

Guapo  was  busy  plucking  his  macaws ;  but  at  the 
word  tapir  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  making  the  feathers 
fly  in  all  directions. 

"  Where,  senorita  ? "  he  asked,  addressing  little 
Leona. 

"  Down  below,"  replied  the  child  ;  "  near  the  edge 
of  the  river." 

Guapo  seized  his  gravatana  and  crouched  down 
towards  the  bank,  with  Leon*at  his  heels.  On  near- 
ing  the  water  he  stopped,  and,  with  his  body  half 
10 


146  THE    MILK    TREE. 

bent,  looked  down  stream.  There,  sure  enough,  was 
the  huge  brown  beast,  standing  with  his  body  hali 
out  of  the  water,  and  pulling  up  the  roots  of  the  flags 
with  his  great  teeth,  and  long,  movable  snout.  It  was 
not  likely  he  would  return  to  his  former  den  after  the 
chase  he  had  had ;  and  fancying,  no  doubt,  that  all 
the  danger  lay  upon  the  opposite  shore,  he  had  ccriie 
to  this  side  to  browse  a  while. 

Guapo  cautioned  Leon  to  remain  where  he  was, 
while  he  himself,  almost  crawling    upon    his   belly 
proceeded  along  the  bank.     In  a  few  minutes  he  was 
out  of  sight ;  and  Leon,  seeing  nothing  more  of  him, 
kept  his  eyes  sharply  fixed  upon  the  tapir. 

The  latter  remained  quietly  feeding  for  about  ten 
minutes,  when  the  boy  saw  him  give  a  little  start. 
Perhaps,  thought  he,  he  has  heard  Guapo  among  the 
weeds,  —  for  the  tapir  has  good  ears,  —  and  that  was 
what  caused  him  to  make  the  motion.  The  tapir 
stopped  feeding  for  a  moment,  but  then  recom- 
menced, though  evidently  not  with  as  much  eager- 
ness as  before.  Presently  he  stopped  a  second  time, 
and  seemed  undetermined  as  to  whether  he  should 
not  turn  and  take  to  the  clear  water.  In  this  way  he 
hesitated  for  several  minutes ;  then,  to  the  astonish- 
ment of  Leon,  his  body  began  to  rock  from  side  to 
side  ;  and  the  next  moment,  with  a  plunge,  he  fell 
heavily  backward,  making  the  waves  undulate  on  all 
sides  of  him.  The  arrow  had  done  its  work  —  he 
was  dead ! 

A  loud  shout  from  Guapo  echoed  along  the  river, 
and  the  Indian  was  seen  plunging  forward  to  tho 
dead  tapir,  which  the  next  moment  he  had  seized  by 


THE    MILK    TREE.  147 

the  leg,  a: id  was  dragging  towards  the  bank.  He 
was  here  met  by  the  whole  party,  all  of  whom  were 
anxious  to  see  this  rare  and  singular  creature.  Hopes 
were  soon  attached  to  the  legs ;  and  Guapo,  assisted 
by  Don  Pablo  and  Leon,  drew  the  huge  carcass  out 
upon  the  shore  and  dragged  it  up  to  the  house. 

Guapo  at  once  skinned  it,  carefully  preserving  the 
hide,  to  make  soles  for  his  sandals  and  other  pur- 
poses ;  and  that  night  all  of  them  tried  a  "  tapir 
steak"  for  supper.  All,  however,  Guapo  alone 
excepted,  preferred  the  flesh  of  the  purple  macaws, 
which,  cooked  as  they  were  with  onions  and  red 
pepper,  were  excellent  eating,  particularly  for  Span- 
ish American  palates.  Guapo  had  all  the  tapir  to 
himself.  *  *  *  *  * 

The  bamboo  palm  house  was  now  quite  finished, 
and  several  articles  of  furniture  too ;  for  during  the 
nights  both  Don  Pablo  and  his  trusty  man  Guapo  had 
worked  at  many  things.  You  will,  no  doubt,  be  ask- 
ing where  they  procured  lights,  will  you  not  ?  I  shall 
tell  you.  One  of  the  loftiest  and  most  beautiful  of 
the  palm  trees  —  the  wax  palm  (Ceroxylon  Andicola) 
—  grew  in  these  very  parts  ;  for  the  lower  slopes  of 
the  Andes  are  its  favorite  habitat.  Out  of  its  trunk 
exudes  wax,  which  has  only  to  be  scraped  off  and 
made  into  candles,  that  burn  as  well  as  those  made 
of  the  wax  of  bees.  Indeed  the  missionaries,  in  their 
various  religious  ceremonies, —  or  "  mummeries,"  as 
they  might  be  better  styled,  —  have  always  made 
large  use  of  these  palm  candles.  Another  "  wax 
palm,"  called  "  Carnauba,"  (Coper  nicia  cerifera,)  is 
found  in  South  America.     In  this  one  the  wax  —  of  a 


148  THE    MILK    TREE. 

pure  white  color,  and  without  any  admixture  of  resin 
—  collects  upon  the  under  side  of  the  leaves,  and 
can  be  had  in  large  quantities  by  merely  stripping  it 
off.  But,  even  had  neither  of  these  palms  been  found, 
they  needed  not  to  have  gone  without  lights  ;  for  the 
fruits  of  the  "  patawa,"  already  described,  when  sub- 
mitted to  pressure,  yield  a  pure  liquid  oil,  without 
any  disagreeable  smell,  and  most  excellent  for  burn- 
ing in  lamps.  So  you  see  there  was  no  lack  of  light 
in  the  cheerful  cottage. 

But  there  were  two  things,  you  will  say,  still  want- 
ing,—  one  of  them  a  necessary  article,  and  the  other 
almost  so,  —  and  which  could  not  possibly  be  procured 
in  such  a  place.  These  two  things  were  salt  and 
milk.  Now,  there  was  neither  a  salt  mine,  nor  a 
lake,  nor  a  drop  of  salt  water,  nor  yet  either  cow, 
goat,  or  ass,  within  scores  of  miles  of  the  place  ;  and 
still  they  had  both  salt  and  milk. 

The  milk  they  procured  from  a  tree  which  grew 
in  the  woods  close  by,  and  a  tree  so  singular  and 
celebrated  that  you  have  no  doubt  heard  of  it  before 
now.  It  was  the  palo  de  vaca,  or  "  cow  tree,"  called 
sometimes  by  an  equally  appropriate  name  —  arbol 
del  leche,  or  "  milk  tree."  It  is  one  of  the  noblest 
trees  of  the  forest,  rising,  with  its  tall,  straight  stem, 
tc  a  great  height,  and  adorned  with  large,  oblong, 
pointed  leaves,  some  of  which  are  nearly  a  foot  in 
length.  It  carries  fruit  which  is  eatable,  about  the 
size  of  a  peach,  and  containing  one  or  two  stones ; 
and  the  wood  itself  is  valuable,  being  hard,  fine 
grained,  and  durable.  But  it  is  the  sap  which  gives 
celebrity  to  the  tree.     This  is  neither  more  nor  less 


THE    BULK    TREE.  149 

than  milk,  of  a  thick  creamy  kind,  and  most  agree 
able  in  flavor.  Indeed  there  are  many  persons  who 
prefer  it  to  the  milk  of  cows  ;  and  it  has  been  proved 
to  be  equally  nutritious,  the  people  fattening  upon  it 
in  districts  where  it  grows.  It  is  collected,  as  the 
sugar  water  is  from  the  maple,  simply  by  making  a 
notch,  or  incision,  in  the  bark,  and  placing  a  vessel 
underneath,  into  which  the  sap  runs  abundantly.  It 
runs  most  freely  at  the  hour  of  sunrise ;  and  this  is 
also  true  as  regards  the  sap  of  the  sugar  tree  and 
many  other  trees  of  that  kind.  Sometimes  it  is  drank 
pure  as  it  flows  from  the  tree  ;  but  there  are  some 
people  who,  not  relishing  it  in  its  thick,  gummy  state, 
dilute  it  with  water  and  strain  it  before  using  it.  It 
is  excellent  for  tea  or  coffee,  quite  equal  to  the  best 
cream,  and  of  a  richer  color.  When  left  to  stand  in 
an  open  vessel,  a  thick  coagulum  forms  on  the  top, 
which  the  natives  term  cheese,  and  which  they  eat  in 
a  similar  manner,  and  with  equal  relish.  Another 
virtue  of  this  extraordinary  tree  is  that  the  cream, 
without  any  preparation,  makes  a  glue  for  all  pur- 
poses as  good  as  that  used  by  cabinet  makers ;  and 
indeed  Don  Pablo  and  Guapo  had  already  availed 
themselves  of  it  in  this  way. 

So  much  for  the  palo  de  vaca. 

It  still  remains  for  me  to  tell  you  where  the  salt 
came  from ;  and  although  the  milk  tree  was  ever  so 
welcome,  yet  the  salt  was  a  thing  of  still  greater 
necessity.  Indeed  the  latter  might  be  looked  upon 
as  an  indispensable  article  in  household  economy. 
You,  my  young  reader,  know  not  what  it  is  to  be 
without  salt.      With  whole    sacks   of  this   beautiful 


150  THE    MILK    TREE. 

mineral  within  your  reach,  almost  as  cheap  as  sand, 
you  cannot  fancy  the  longing  —  the  absolute  craving 
—  for  it  which  they  feel  who  are  for  a  period  deprived 
of  it.  Even  the  wild  animals  will  make  long  jour- 
neys in  search  of  those  salt  springs  —  or,  as  they  are 
called,  "  licks  "  —  which  exist  in  many  places  in  the 
wilderness  of  America.  For  salt,  Don  Pablo  and  his 
companions  would  have  exchanged  any  thing  they 
had  —  their  sugar,  plantains,  cocoa,  coffee,  or  even 
the  cassava,  which  was  their  bread.  They  longed 
for  salt,  and  knew  not  how  they  could  get  on  without 
it.  The  only  substitute  was  the  "  aji,"  or  capsicum, 
of  which  several  species  grew  around ;  and  almost 
every  dish  they  ate  was  strongly  spiced  with  it.  But 
still  this  was  not  salt,  and  they  were  not  contented 
with  it. 

It  was  now  that  they  found  a  friend  in  Guapo. 
Guapo  knew  that  among  many  of  the  Indian  tribes 
the  fruit  of  a  certain  species  of  palm  was  manufac- 
tured into  salt;  and  he  knew  the  palm,  too,  if  he 
could  only  get  his  eyes  upon  it.  Seeing  his  master 
and  the  rest  so  troubled  upon  this  head,  Guapo  rose 
one  morning  early  and  stole  off  among  the  groves 
of  palm  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  There,  in  a 
marshy  place,  with  its  roots  even  growing  in  the 
water,  stood  the  very  tree  —  a  small  palm  of  about 
four  inches  in  diameter  and  twenty  to  thirty  feet  high. 
It  was  thicker  at  the  base  than  the  top ;  and  the  top 
itself  rose  several  feet  above  the  tuft  of  pinnate, 
feathery  fronds,  ending  in  a  pointed  spike.  It  was 
\he  "jara"  palm,  of  the  genus  Leopoldinia. 

\t  was  the  fruits  upon  which  Guapo  bent  his  eyes 


THE    MILK    TREE.  151 

with  earnestness.  Each  one  was  as  large  as  a  peach, 
of  an  oval  shape,  slightly  flattened,  and  of  a  yellow- 
ish-green color.  They  grew  in  large  clusters  among 
the  bases  of  the  leaves ;  and  Guapo  was  not  long  in 
ascending  several  trees  —  for  the  jara  is  a  smooth- 
skinned  palm,  and  can  be  climbed  —  and  breaking  off 
the  spadices  and  flinging  them  to  the  ground.  He 
had  soon  collected  a  bag  full,  with  which  he  hurried 
back  to  the  house. 

All  wondered  what  Guapo  meant  to  do  with  these 
fruits ;  for  they  tasted  them  and  found  them  very 
bitter.  Guapo  soon  showed  them  his  intention.  Hav- 
ing prepared  a  sort  of  furnace,  he  set  the  nuts  on 
fire ;  and  when  they  were  thoroughly  reduced  to 
ashes,  to  the  great  joy  and  astonishment  of  all,  these 
ashes,  which  were  as  white  as  flour,  had  the  taste  of 
salt !  It  is  true  it  was  not  equal  to  "  Turk's  Island," 
nor  yet  to  "  Bay "  salt ;  but  it  proved  to  be  good 
enough  for  cooking  purposes,  and  satisfied  the  craving 
which  all  had  felt  for  this  indispensable  article. 


152  THE    CANNIBAL    FISH    AND 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE  CANNIBAL  FISH  AND  THE  GYMNOTUS. 

About  this  time  an  incident  occurred  that  was  very 
near  having  a  fatal  termination  for  one  of  the  party 
—  Leon.  The  day  was  a  very  hot  one,  and,  as  the 
cool  water  looked  inviting,  Leon  could  not  resist  the 
temptation  of  taking  a  bath.  Having  undressed  him- 
self, he  plunged  into  the  river,  nearly  in  front  of 
where  the  house  stood,  and  began  splashing  about 
quite  delighted.  The  rest  were  not  heeding  him,  as 
each  was  engaged  with  some  occupation  within  the 
house. 

Leon  at  first  kept  wading  about  in  a  place  that  was 
not  beyond  his  depth ;  but,  by  little  and  little,  he  took 
short  swims,  as  he  wished  to  practise,  and  become  a 
good  swimmer  like  Guapo.  His  father  had  not  only 
given  him  permission,  but  had  even  advised  him  to  do 
so.  And  it  may  be  here  remarked  that  all  parents 
would  do  well  to  take  the  same  course  with  their 
children  and  allow  them  to  acquire  this  healthful  and 
useful  art.  No  one  can  deny  that  thousands  of  lives 
are  annually  sacrificed  because  so  few  have  taken 
the  trouble  to  learn  swimming. 

Well,  Leon  was  determined  to  be  a  swimmer,  and 
at  each  attempt  he  made  a  wider  stretch  into  the 
deep  water,  swam  around,  and  then  back  again  to  the 
bank. 


THE    GYMNOTUS.  153 

In  one  of  these  excursions,  just  as  he  had  got 
furthest  out,  all  at  once  he  felt  a  sharp  pain  as  if 
from  the  bite  of  some  animal,  and  then  another,  and 
another,  upon  different  parts  of  the  body,  as  if  sev- 
eral sets  of  teeth  were  attacking  him  at  once. 

Leon  screamed,  —  who  wouldn't  have  done  so?  — 
and  his  scream  brought  the  whole  household  to  the 
edge  of  the  water  in  less  than  a  score  of  seconds. 
All  of  them  believed  that  he  was  either  drowning  or 
attacked  by  a  crocodile.  On  arriving  at  the  bank, 
however,  they  saw  that  he  was  still  above  water  and 
swimming  boldly  for  the  shore  —  no  signs  of  a  croc- 
odile were  to  be  seen. 

What  was  the  matter  ? 

Of  course  that  question  was  asked  him  by  all  of 
ihem  in  a  breath.  His  reply  was  that  "  he  could  not 
tell  —  something  was  biting  him  all  over  !  " 

The  quick  eye  of  the  mother  now  caught  sight  of 
blood  —  around  the  swimmer  the  water  was  tinged 
with  it  —  her  piercing  shriek  rent  the  air. 

"  O  God  !  my  child  —  my  child!  Save  him  —  save 
him ! " 

Both  Don  Pablo  and  Guapo  dashed  into  the  water 
and  plunged  forward  to  meet  him.  In  the  next  mo- 
ment he  was  raised  in  their  arms ;  but  the  blood 
streamed  down  his  body  and  limbs,  apparently  from 
a  dozen  wounds.  As  they  lifted  him  out  of  the  water 
they  saw  what  had  caused  these  wounds.  A  shoal 
of  small  fish,  with  ashy-green  backs  and  bright 
orange  bellies  and  fins,  was  seen  below.  With  large, 
open  mouths  they  had  followed  their  victim  to  the  very 
surface  ;  and,  now  that  he  was  lifted  out  of  their  reach, 


Ids  the  cannibal  fish  and 

they  shot  forward  and  attacked  the  legs  of  his  res« 
cuers,  causing  Don  Pablo  and  Guapo  to  dance  up  in 
the  water  and  make  with  all  haste  for  the  bank.  As 
soon  as  they  had  reached  it,  they  turned  round  and 
looked  into  the  water.  There  were  these  blood- 
thirsty pursuers,  that  had  followed  them  up  to  the  very 
bank,  and  now  swam  about,  darting  from  point  to 
point,  and  ready  for  a  fresh  attack  on  any  one  that 
might  enter  the  water. 

"  They  are  the  '  cannibal  fish  ! '  *'  said  Guapo,  in 
an  angry  tone,  as  he  turned  to  attend  to  Leon.  "  I 
shall  punish  them  yet  for  it.  Trust  me,  young  mas- 
ter, you  shall  be  revenged.  " 

Leon  was  now  carried  up  to  the  house,  and  it  was 
found  that  in  all  he  had  received  nearly  a  dozen 
wounds.  Some  of  them  were  on  the  calves  of  his 
legs,  where  the  piece  of  flesh  was  actually  taken  out. 
Had  he  been  farther  out  in  the  river  when  first  at- 
tacked, he  might  never  have  reached  the  shore  alive, 
as  the  fierce  creatures  were  gathering  in  far  greater 
numbers  when  he  was  rescued,  and  would  most  un- 
doubtedly have  torn  him  to  pieces  and  eaten  him  up. 
Such  has  been  the  fate  of  many  persons  who  have 
fallen  among  the  "  cannibal  fish  "  in  the  midst  of 
wide  rivers  where  they  had  no  chance  of  escape. 
These  ferocious  little  u  caribes,"  or  "  caribitos,"  as 
they  are  called,  (for  the  word  carib  signifies  can- 
nibal,) lie  at  the  bottom  of  rivers,  and  are  not  easily 
seen';  but  the  moment  an  attack  is  made  by  one  of 
them,  and  a  drop  of  blood  stains  the  water,  the  whole 
shoal  rises  to  the  surface  ;  and  woe  to  the  creature 
that  is  assailed  by  their  sharp  triangular  teeth  ! 


THE    GYMNOTUS.  155 

t)f  course  the  wounds  of  Leon,  although  painful 
were  not  dangerous  ;  but  the  chief  danger  lay  in  the 
loss  of  blood  which  was  pouring  from  so  many  veins. 
But  Guapo  found  ready  to  his  hand  the  best  thing  in 
the  world  for  stopping  it.  On  some  mimosa  trees, 
not  far  from  the  house,  he  had  already  observed  — 
indeed  so  had  all  of  them  —  a  very  singular  species 
of  ants'  nests  of  a  yellowish-brown  color.  Tho 
ants  themselves  were  of  a  beautiful  emerald  green. 
They  were  the  Formica  spinicottis.  These  nests 
were  composed  of  a  soft  cotton  down,  which  the  ants 
had  collected  from  a  species  of  Melastoma,  a  hand- 
some shrub  found  growing  in  these  regions  ;  and  this 
down  Guapo  knew  to  be  the  best  for  blood  stopping. 
Even  Don  Pablo  had  heard  of  its  being  used  by  the 
Indians  for  this  purpose,  and  knew  it  by  the  name  of 
"  yesca  de  hormigas"  or  "  touchwood  of  ants."  He 
had  heard,  moreover,  that  it  was  far  superior  even  to 
the  ants'  nests  of  Cayenne,  which  form  an  article  of 
commerce,  and  are  highly  prized  in  the  hospitals  of 
Europe.  Guapo,  therefore,  ran  off  and  robbed  the 
green  ants  of  their  nests,  and  speedily  returned  with 
his  hands  full  of  the  soft  "  yesca."  This  was  ap- 
plied to  the  wounds,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  bleed- 
ing was  effectually  stopped  ;  and  Leon,  although  still 
suffering  pain,  had  now  only  to  be  patient  and  get 
well. 

Strange  to  say,  another  incident  occurred  that  very 
evening,  which  taught  our  party  a  further  lesson  of 
the  danger  of  taking  to  the  water  without  knowing 
more  of  its  inhabitants.  Just  as  they  had  finished 
supper,  and  were  seated  in  front  of  their  new  house, 


156  THE    CANNIBAL    FISH   AND 

the  mule,  that  had  been  let  loose,  stepped  h  to  the 
river  to  drink  and  cool  its  flanks.  It  was  standing  in 
the  water,  which  came  up  to  its  belly,  and,  having 
finished  its  drink,  was  quietly  gazing  around  it.  All 
at  once  it  was  observed  to  give  a  violent  plunge  and 
make  with  hot  haste  for  the  bank.  It  snorted  and  looked 
terrified  ;  while  its  red  nostrils  were  wide  open,  and 
its  eyes  appeared  as  if  they  would  start  from  their 
sockets.  At  length  it  reached  the  bank,  and,  stag, 
gering  forward,  rolled  over  in  the  sand  as  if  d  was 
going  to  die. 

What  could  all  this  mean  ?  Had  it,  too,  been 
attacked  by  the  "  caribes  "  ?  No  ;  that  was  not 
likely,  as  the  bite  of  these  creatures  upon  the  hard 
shanks  of  the  mule  could  not  have  produced  such 
an  effect.  They  might  have  frightened  it  ;  but 
they  could  not  have  thrown  it  into  "  fits  ;  '•  for  it 
was  evidently  in  some  sort  of  a  fit  at  that  mo- 
ment. 

It  might  have  been  a  puzzle  to  our  party  not  easily 
solved  had  Guapo  not  been  upon  the  spot.  But 
Guapo  had  witnessed  such  an  incident  before.  Just 
before  the  mule  gave  the  first  plunge  Guapo's  eyes 
had  been  wandering  in  that  direction.  He  had  no- 
ticed an  odd-looking  form  glide  near  the  mule  and 
pass  under  the  animal's  belly.  This  creature  was  of 
a  greenish-yellow  color,  about  five  feet  in  length,  and 
four  or  five  inches  thick.  It  resembled  some  kind  of 
water  snake  more  than  a  fish  ;  but  Guapo  knew  it 
was  not  a  snake,  but  an  eel.  It  was  the  great  electric 
eel  —  the  "  temblador,"  or  "  gymnotus." 

This    explained    the    mystery.      The    gymnotus, 


THE    GYMNOTUS.  157 

having  placed  itself  under  the  belly  of  the  unsus- 
pecting mule,  was  able  to  bring  its  body  in  contact 
at.  all  points  ;  and  hence  the  powerful  shock  that  had 
created  such  an  effect. 

The  mule,  however,  soon  recovered  ;  but,  from 
that  time  forward,  no  coaxing,  nor  leading,  nor  dri- 
ving, nor  whipping,  nor  pushing  would  induce  that 
same  mule  to  go  within  twenty  feet  of  the  bank  of 
that  same  piece  of  water. 

Guapo  now  bethought  himself  of  the  narrow  escape 
he  himself  had  had  while  swimming  across  to  the 
palm  woods ;  and  the  appearance  of  the  gymnotus 
only  rendered  him  more  determined  to  keep  the 
promise  he  had  made  to  Leon  —  that  is,  that  he 
would  revenge  him  of  the  caribes. 

None  of  them  could  understand  how  Guapo  was  to 
get  this  revenge  without  catching  the  fish  ;  and  that 
wouloS  be  difficult  to  do.  Guapo,  however,  showed 
them  how  on  the  very  next  day. 

During  that  evening  he  made  an  excursion  into  the 
wood,  and  returned  home  carrying  with  him  a  large 
bundle  of  roots. 

They  were  the  roots  of  two  species  of  plants  — 
one  of  the  genus  Piscidea,  the  other  a  Jacquinia. 
Out  of  these,  when  properly  pounded  together,  Guapo 
intended  to  make  the  celebrated  "  barbasco,"  or  fish 
poison,  which  is  used  by  all  the  Indians  of  South 
America  in  capturing  fish.  Guapo  knew  that  a  suffi- 
cient quantity  of  the  barbasco  thrown  into  the  water 
would  kill  either  "  temblador,"  caribe,  or  any  fish 
that  ever  swam  with  fins. 


158  THE    CANNIBAL    FISH    AND 

And  so  it  proved.  In  the  morning  Guapo,  having 
prepared  his  barbasco,  proceeded  to  the  upper  end 
of  the  lakelike  opening  of  the  river,  and  there  flung 
his  poison  into  the  stream.  The  slow  current  through 
the  valley  greatly  favored  him  ;  and,  from  the  large 
quantity  of  roots  he  had  used,  the  whole  pool  was  soon 
infected  with  it.  This  was  seen  from  the  whitish 
tinge  which  the  water  assumed.  The  barbasco  had 
scarcely  time  to  sink  to  the  bottom  when  small  fish 
were  seen  coming  to  the  surface  and  turning  "  wrong 
side  uppermost."  Then  larger  ones  appeared  ;  and 
in  a  few  minutes  all  the  fish  in  that  particular  stretch 
of  water,  with  several  gymnoti,  were  seen  floating  on 
the  surface  quite  dead.  To  the  great  joy  of  Guapo 
and  Leon,  who  sat  by  the  bank  watching,  hundreds 
of  the  little  caribes,  with  their  bronze  gills  quite 
open  and  their  yellow  bellies  turned  up,  were  seen 
among  the  rest. 

But  Guapo  had  not  made  this  great  slaughter  pure- 
ly out  of  revenge.  He  had  another  object.  They 
were  not  too  well  off  for  meat ;  and  a  dish  of  fish 
would  be  welcome.  Guapo  and  Don  Pablo  had 
already  provided  themselves  with  long-handled  nets  ; 
and  they  soon  scooped  out  several  basketfuls  of  fish. 
Among  others  they  netted  numerous  "  caribes  ; " 
for  these  little  monsters,  fierce  as  they  are,  are  not 
surpassed  for  delicacy  of  flavor  by  any  fish  in  the 
South  American  rivers.  The  gymnoti  approached 
the  bank,  where  Guapo  fished  them  out,  not  to  eat, 
although  they  are  often  eaten.  There  was  not  a 
epark  of  electricity  in  them  now  ;  the  barbasco  had 


THE    GYMNOTUS.  159 

cured  them  of  that.  Any  one  might  have  handled 
them  with  safety,  as  there  was  not  a  charge  left  in 
their  whole  battery. 

The  lake  was  quite  cleared  of  all  its  dangerous 
denizens,  and  Leon  might  bathe  with  safety  as  soon 
as  he  got  well ;  and  over  the  fish  dinner  they  could 
now  laugh  at  the  adventures  both  of  Leon  and  ihe 
electrified  mule. 


160 


THE    CINCHONA    TREES. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 


THE  CINCHONA  TREES. 


In  about  two  weeks  from  their  arrival  in  the  valloy, 
the  house,  with  a  stable  for  the  horse  and  mule,  was 
completed,  and  all  the  necessary  furniture  as  well. 
Had  you  entered  the  establishment  about  this  time 
you  would  have  observed  many  odd  articles  and  im- 
plements, most  of  them  quite  new.  You  would  have 
seen  boxes  woven  out  of  palm  leaves,  and  bags  made 
of  the  fibrous,  clothlike  spathe  of  the  "  bussu,"  filled 
with  the  soft,  silky  cotton  of  the  bombax,  to  be  after- 
wards spun  and  woven  for  shirts  and  dresses..  You 
would  have  seen  baskets  of  various  shapes  and  sizes, 
woven  out  of  the  rind  of  the  leaf  stalks  of  a  singular 
palm  called  "  Iu,"  (Astrocaryum,)  which  has  no 
stem,  but  only  leaves  of  ten  feet  long,  growing  di- 
rectly out  of  the  ground.  You  would  have  seen 
chairs  made  of  split  palms  and  bamboo,  and  a  good- 
sized  table,  upon  which,  at  meal  time,  might  be  no- 
ticed a  tablecloth,  not  of  diaper,  but,  what  served 
equally  well,  the  broad,  smooth,  silken  leaves  of  the 
plantain.  There  were  c\ips,  too,  and  plates,  and 
bowls,  and  dishes,  and  bottles  of  the  light  gourd  shell, 
(Cresce?itia  cnjete,)  some  of  the  bottles  holding  useful 
liquids,  and  corked  with  the  elastic  pith  of  a  palm. 
Other   vessels    of  a  boat   shape    might  be    ncticed. 


THE    CINCHONA   TREES.  161 

There  were  large  wooden  vessels  pointed  at  the  ends 
like  little  canoes.  They  were  nothing  more  than  the 
spathes  or  flower  sheaths  of  one  of  the  largest  of 
palms  —  the  "Inaga"  (Maximiliana  regia.)  This 
noble  tree  rises  to  the  height  of  one  hundred  feet, 
and  carries  feathery  fronds  of  -more  than  fifty  feet  in 
length.  The  spathes  are  so  large  that  they  are  used 
by  the  Indian  women  for  cradles  and  baskets ;  and 
their  wood  is  so  hard  that  hunters  often  cook  meat 
in  them,  hanging  them  over  the  fire  when  filled  with 
water. 

Many  other  singular  implements  might  have  been 
noticed  in  the  new  home.  One,  a  cylinder  of  what 
appeared  to  be  wood,  covered  thickly  with  spinous 
points,  hung  against  the  wall.  That  was  a  grater, 
used  for  the  manioc,  or  yucca  roots  ;  and  it  was  a 
grater  of  Nature's  own  making  ;  for  it  was  nothing 
more  than  a  piece  of  one  of  the  air  roots  of  the 
"  pashiuba"  palm,  already  described.  Another  cu- 
rious object  hung  near  this  last.  It  was  a  sort  of 
conical  bag,  woven  out  of  palm  fibre,  with  a  loop  at 
the  bottom,  through  which  loop  a  strong  pole  was 
passed,  that  acted  as  a  lever  when  the  article  was  in 
use.  This  wicker-work  bag  was  the  "  tipiti."  Its 
use  was  to  compress  the  grated  pulp  of  the  manioc 
roots  so  as  to  separate  the  juice  from  it,  and  thus 
make  "  cassava."  The  roots  of  the  yucca,  or  manioc 
plant,  grow  in  bunches  like  potatoes.  Some  of  them 
are  oblong,  the  length  of  a  man's  arm,  and  more 
than  twenty  pounds  in  weight.  When  required  for 
use,  the  bark  is  scraped  off,  and  they  are  grated 
down.  They  are  then  put  into  the  tipiti  already 
11 


162  THE    CINCHONA    TREES. 

mentioned,  and  the  bag  is  hung  up  to  a  strong  pin, 
while  the  lever  is  passed  through  the  loop  at  the 
bottom.  Its  short  end  goes  under  a  firm  notch,  and 
then  some  one  usually  sits  upon  the  long  end  until 
the  pulp  is  squeezed  sufficiently  dry.  The  bag  is. 
so  formed  that  its  extension,  by  the  force  of  the 
lever,  causes  its  sides  to  close  upon  the  pulp,  and 
thus  press  out  the  juice.  The  pulp  is  next  dried  in 
a!i  oven,  and  becomes  the  famous  "  cassava,"  or 
"  farinha,"  which,  throughout  the  greater  part  of 
South  America,  is  the  only  bread  that  is  used.  The 
juice  of  course  runs  through  the  wicker  work  of  the 
tipiti  into  a  vessel  below,  and  there  produces  a  sedi- 
ment which  is  the  well-known  "  tapioca." 

There  are  two  kinds  of  the  yucca,  or  manioc  root, 

—  the  yucca  dulce  and  yucca  amarga,  —  the  sweet 
and  bitter.  One  may  be  eaten  raw  without  danger. 
The  other,  which  very  closely  resembles  it,  if  eaten 
raw,  would  produce  almost  instant  death,  as  its  juice 
is  one  of  the  deadliest  of  vegetable  poisons.  Even 
while  it  is  dripping  from  the  tipiti  into  the  vessel 
placed  below,  great  care  is  always  taken  lest  children 
or  other  animals  should  drink  of  it. 

There  were  no  beds  ;  such  things  are  hardly  to  be 
found  in  any  part  of  tropical  America  —  at  least  not 
in  the  low,  hot  countries.  To  sleep  in  a  bed  in  these 
climates  is  far  from  being  pleasant.  The  sleeper 
would  be  at  the  mercy  of  a  thousand  crawling  things 

—  insects  and  reptiles.  Hammocks,  or  "  redes,"  as 
they  are  there  called,  take  the  place  of  bedsteads  ; 
and  five  hammocks,  of  different  dimensions,  could 
be  seen  about  the  new  house.     Some  were  strung  up 


THE    CINCHONA   TREES.  163 

within,  others  in  the  porch  in  front ;  for,  in  building 
his  house,  Don  Pablo  had  fashioned  it  so  that  the 
roof  protruded  in  front,  and  formed  a  shaded  veran- 
da—  a  pleasant  place  in  which  to  enjoy  the  even- 
ings. Guapo  had  made  the  hammocks,  having 
woven  the  cords  out  of  the  epidermis  of  the  leaf  of 
a  noble  palm  called  "  tucum,"  (Astro  car  yum.) 

The'.r  home  being  now  sufficiently  comfortable, 
Don  Pablo  began  to  turn  his  attention  to  the  object 
for  which  he  had  settled  on  that  spot.  He  had 
already  examined  the  cinchona  trees,  and  saw  that 
they  were  of  the  finest  species.  They  were,  in  fact, 
the  same  which  have  since  become  celebrated  as 
producing  the  "  Cuzconin,"  and  known  as  "CascariL 
la  de  Cuzco"  (Cuzco  bark.) 

Of  the  Peruvian  bark  trees  there  are  many  species 
—  between  twenty  and  thirty.  Most  of  these  are  true 
cinchona  trees  ;  but  there  are  also  many  kinds  of 
the  genus  Exostemma,  whose  bark  is  collected  as  a 
febrifuge,  and  passes  in  commerce  under  the  name 
of  Peruvian  hark.  All  these  are  of  different  quali- 
ties and  value.  Some  are  utterly  worthless,  and, 
like  many  other  kinds  of  "  goods,"  form  a  sad  com- 
mentary on  the  honesty  of  commerce. 

The  species  which  grew  on  the  sides  of  the  adja- 
cent hills  Don  Pablo  recognized  as  one  of  the  most 
valuable.  It  was  a  nearly-allied  species  to  the  tree 
of  Loxa,  (Cinchona  condaminea,)  which  produces 
the  best  bark.  It  was  a  tall,  slender  tree  —  when 
fullgrown,  rising  to  the  height  of  eighty  feet ;  but 
there  were  some  of  every  age  and  size.  Its  leaves 
were  five  inches  long  and  about  half  that  breadth,  of 


164  THE    CINCHONA    TREES. 

a  reddish  color,  and  with  a  glistening  surface,  which 
rendered  them  easily  distinguished  from  the  foliage 
of  the  other  trees.  Now,  it  is  a  fortunate  circum- 
stance that  the  Peruvian  bark  trees  differ  from  all 
others  in  the  color  of  their  leaves.  Were  this  not 
the  case,  "  bark  hunting  "  would  be  a  very  trouble- 
some operation.  The  labor  of  finding  the  trees  would 
not  be  repaid  with  double  the  price  obtained  for  the 
bark.  You  may  be  thinking,  my  young  friend,  that 
a  M  cascarillero,"  or  "  bark  hunter,"  has  nothing  to  do 
but  find  a  wood  of  these  trees,  and  then  the  trouble 
of  searching  is  over,  and  nothing  remains  but  to  go 
to  work  and  fell  them.  So  it  would  be  did  the  cin- 
chona trees  grow  together  in  large  numbers  ;  but 
they  do  not.  Only  a  few  —  sometimes  only  a  single 
tree  —  will  be  found  in  one  place  ;  and  I  may  here 
remark  that  the  same  is  true  of  most  of  the  trees  of  the 
great  Montana  of  South  America.  This  is  a  curious 
fact,  because  it  is  a  different  arrangement  from  that 
made  by  Nature  in  the  forests  of  North  America. 
There  a  whole  country  will  be  covered  with  tim- 
ber of  a  single,  or  at  most  two  or  three,  species ; 
whereas  in  South  America  the  forests  are  composed 
of  an  endless  variety.  Hence  it  has  been  found  dif- 
ficult to  establish  saw  mills  in  these  forests,  as  no  one 
timber  can  be  conveniently  furnished  in  sufficient 
quantity  to  make  it  worth  while.  Some  of  the  palms 
—  as  the  great  morichi — form  an  exception  to  this 
rule.  These  are  found  in  vast  palmares,  or  palm 
woods,  extending  over  large  tracts  of  country,  and 
monopolizing  the  soil  to  themselves. 

Don  Pablo,  having  spent  the  whole  of  a  day  in  ex 


THE    CINCHONA    TREES.  165 

amining  the  cinchonas,  returned  home  quite  satisfied 
with  them,  both  as  regarded  their  quantity  and  value. 
He  saw,  from  a  high  tree  which  he  had  climbed, 
"  manchas"  or  spots  of  the  glistening  reddish  leaves, 
nearly  an  acre  in  breadth.  This  was  a  fortune  in 
itself.  Could  he  only  collect  one  hundred  thousand 
pounds  of  this  bark,  and  convey  it  down  stream  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Amazon,  it  would  there  yield  him 
the  handsome  sum  of  forty  thousand  or  fifty  thousand 
dollars.  How  long  before  he  could  accomplish  this 
task  he  had  not  yet  calculated  ;  but  he  resolved  to 
set  about  it  at  once. 

A  large  house  had  been  already  constructed  for 
storing  the  bark ;  and  in  the  diy,  hot  climate  of  the 
high  Montana,  where  they  now  were,  Don  Pablo 
knew  it  could  be  dried  in  the  woods  where  it  was 
stripped  from  the  trees. 


160  A    PAIR    OF    SLOW    GOERS. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


A  PAIR  OF  SLOW  GOERS 


At  length,  all  things  being  ready,  Don  Pablo  and 
party  set  out  for  a  day's  work  among  the  cinchonas. 
As  it  was  the  first  day  of  bark  gathering,  all  went 
along  to  enjoy  the  novelty  of  the  thing.  A  "  man- 
cha"  of  the  cinchona  trees  was  not  far  off;  so  their 
journey  would  be  a  short  one.  For  this  reason  the 
horse  and  mule  remained  in  the  stable,  eating  the 
fruits  of  the  "  murumuru  "  palm,  (another  species  of 
Astrocaryum,)  of  which  all  cattle  are  exceedingly 
fond.  Even  the  hard,  undigested  stones  or  nuts,  after 
passing  through  the  bodies  of  horses  and  cattle,  are 
eagerly  devoured  by  wild  or  tame  hogs ;  and  the 
zamuros,  or  black  vultures,  (Cathartes  aura  and 
atratusj  when  hungered,  take  to  the  pulpy  fruit  of 
this  thorny  palm  tree. 

It  was  a  very  early  hour  when  they  set  out ;  for 
Don  Pablo  and  his  people  were  no  sluggards.  Indeed 
in  that  climate  the  early  morning  hours  are  the 
pleasantest ;  and  they  had  made  it  a  rule  to  be  always 
up  by  daybreak.  They  could  thus  afford  to  take  a 
siesta  in  their  hammocks  during  the  hot  noontide  — 
a  custom  very  common,  and  almost  necessary,  in 
tropical  countries.  Their  road  to  the  cinchonas  led 
up  the  stream,  on  the   same  side  with  the   house. 


A    PAIR    OF    SLOW   GOERS.  167 

After"  going  a  few  hundred  yards,  they  entered  a 
grove  of  trees  that  had  white  trunks  and  leaves  of  a 
light  silvery  color.  The  straight,  slender  stems  of 
these  trees  and  the  disposition  of  their  branches  — 
leaning  over  at  the  tops — gave  them  somewhat  the 
appearance  of  palms.  They  were  not  palms,  how- 
ever, but  "ambaiba"  trees,  (Cecropia  peltata.)  So 
said  Don  Pablo,  as  they  passed  under  their  shade. 

"  I  shouldn't  wonder,"  added  he,  "  if  we  should 
see  that  strange  animal,  the  ai".  The  leaves  of  these 
trees  are  its  favorite  food,  and  it  lives  altogether 
among  their  branches." 

"  You  mean  the  '  nimble  Peter,'  do  you  not,  papa  ?  " 

This  inquiry  was  put  by  Leon,  who  had  read  about 
the  animal  under  this  name,  and  had  read  many  false 
stories  of  it,  even  in  the  works  of  the  great  Buffon. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Don  Pablo ;  "  it  goes  by  that  name 
sometimes,  on  account  of  its  sluggish  habits  and  slow 
motions.  For  the  same  reason  the  English  call  it 
4  sloth;'  and  it  is  known  among  naturalists  as  brady- 
pus.  There  are  two  or  three  species,  but  all  with 
very  similar  habits ;  though,  as  usual,  the  French 
classifiers  have  separated  them  into  distinct  genera." 

"  Why,  Buffon  says,"  rejoined  Leon,  "  that  it  is 
the  most  miserable  creature  in  the  world  ;  that  it  can 
scarcely  get  from  tree  to  tree  ;  that  some  remain  in 
the  same  tree  all  their  lives,  or  that,  when  one  has 
eaten  all  the  leaves  off  a  tree,  it  drops  to  the  ground, 
to  save  itself  the  trouble  of  getting  down  by  the 
trunk  ;  and  that  when  on  the  ground  it  cannot  move 
a  yard  in  an  hour.     Is  all  this  true  ?  " 

"Totally  untrue.     It  is  true  the   av  docs  not  move 


168  A    PAIR    OF    SLOW    GOERS. 

rapidly  over  the  ground ;  but  the  ground  is  not  its 
proper  place,  no  more  than  it  is  that  of  the  orang 
outang,  or  other  tree  monkeys.  Its  conformation 
shows  that  Nature  intended  it  for  an  inhabitant  of  the 
trees,  where  it  can  move  about  with  sufficient  ease  to 
procure  its  food.  On  the  branches  it  is  quite  at 
home  ;  or  rather,  I  should  say,  under  the  branches  ; 
for,  unlike  the  squirrels  and  monkeys,  it  travels  along 
the  under  sides  of  the  horizontal  limbs,  with  its  back 
downward.  This  it  can  do  with  ease,  by  means  of 
its  great  curving  claws,  which  are  large  enough  to 
span  the  thickest  boughs.  In  this  position,  with  a 
long  neck  of  nine  vertebrce,  —  the  only  animal  which 
has  that  number,  —  it  can  reach  the  leaves  on  all 
sides  of  it ;  and,  when  not  feeding,  this  is  its  natural 
position  of  repose.  Its  remaining  during  its  whole 
life  in  one  tree,  or  suffering  itself  to  fall  from  the 
branches,  are  romances  of  the  early  Spanish  voy- 
agers, to  which  M.  Buffon  gave  too  much  credit. 
The  ai'  does  not  descend  to  the  ground  at  all  when  it 
can  help  it,  but  passes  from  one  tree  to  another  by 
means  of  tne  outspreading  branches.  Sometimes, 
when  these  do  not  meet,  it  has  cunning  enough  to 
wait  for  a  windy  day ;  and  then,  taking  advantage  of 
some  branch  blown  nearer  by  the  wind,  it  grasps  it 
and  passes  to  the  next  tree.  As  it  requires  no  drink, 
and  can  live  without  any  other  food  than  the  leaves 
of  the  cecropia,  of  course  it  remains  on  a  single  tree 
so  long  as  it  has  plenty  of  leaves.  See  !  "  exclaimed 
Don  Pablo,  pointing  up ;  u  here  are  several  trees 
stripped  of  their  leaves  !  I'll  warrant  that  was  done 
by  the  a'i." 


A   PAIR    OF   SLOW   GOERS.  169 

"A-ee  ! "  echoed  a  voice  in  the  most  lugubrious 
tones. 

"  I  thought  so,"  cried  Don  Pablo,  laughing  at  the 
surprise  which  the  voice  had  created  among  the  rest 
of  the  party.  "That's  the  very  fellow  himself;  this 
way  —  here  he  is  !  " 

All  of  them  ran  under  the.  tree  to  which  Don  Pablo 
pointed,  and  looked  up.  There,  sure  enough,  was  an 
animal  about  the  size  of  a  cat,  of  a  dark  hay  color, 
with  a  patch  of  dirty  orange  and  black  upon  the  back. 
This  could  be  easily  seen  ;  for  the  creature  was  hang- 
ing along  a  horizontal  branch,  with  its  back  down- 
ward ;  and  its  huge  curving  claws,  all  in  a  bunch, 
were  hooked  over  the  branch.  Its  hair  was  thick  and 
rough,  and  no  tail  was  visible ;  but  its  small,  round 
head  and  flat  face  were  almost  as  like  the  human  face 
as  is  that  of  any  monkey.  Indeed  the  others  would 
have  taken  it  for  a  monkey  —  Guapo  excepted  —  had 
they  not  been  already  talking  about  it. 

"  O,  yonder's  another ! "  cried  Leon,  pointing 
higher  up  in  the  tree  ;  and,  sure  enough,  there  was ; 
for  the  ai  is  usually  found  in  company  with  its  mate. 
The  other  was  a  copy  of  the  one  already  observed, 
with  some  slight  difference  in  size  ;  no  doubt  it  was 
the  female  one.  Both  had  observed  the  approach  of 
the  party,  and  now  uttered  their  melancholy  "  Ayee 
—  a-ee  !  "  that  sounded  any  thing  but  agreeable.  In 
fact,  so  veiy  disagreeable  is  the  voice  of  this  crea- 
ture that  it  has  been  considered  its  best  weapon  of 
defence.  Besides  the  utterance  of  their  cry,  neither  of 
them  made  any  effort  to  escape  or  defend  themselves. 

Don  Pablo  and  the  rest  were  about  to  pass  on  and 


170  A   PAIR    OF    SLOW  GOERS. 

leave  the  ai's  to  their  leaf  diet ;  but  Guapo  had  other 
notions  on  that  subject.  Ugly  as  these  creatures 
were,  Guapo  intended  to  have  one  of  them  for  his 
dinner.  He  therefore  begged  Don  Pablo  to  stop  a 
moment  until  he  should  get  them  down.  How  was 
this  to  be  done  ?  Would  he  climb  up  and  drag  the  in 
from  the  tree  ?  That  is  not  so  easily  accomplished  ; 
for  the  ai's,  with  their  crescent  claws,  can  hold  on 
with  terrible  force.  Besides,  they  were  out  upon  the 
slender  branches,  where  it  would  have  been  difficu  t 
to  get  at  them.  But  Guapo  did  not  intend  to  climb 
The  tree  was  a  slender  one  ;  he  had  his  axe  with  him 
and  the  next  moment  its  keen  blade  was  crashing 
through  the  bark  of  the  ambai'ba  wood.  A  few  min- 
utes served  to  bring  the  tree  down  ;  and  down  it  came, 
the  ai's  screaming  as  it  fell.  Guapo  now  approached 
to  seize  them  ;  but  about  this  he  used  some  caution. 
Both,  finding  themselves  without  hope  of  escape,  pre- 
pared for  defence.  BufTon  asserts  that  they  make 
none.  That  is  not  true,  as  was  seen  by  all  the  party. 
Throwing  themselves  on  their  backs,  they  struck  out 
with  their  fore  arms  in  a  sort  of  mechanical  manner. 
These,  with  the  long  horny  claws,  they  kept  playing 
in  front  of  their  bodies,  striking  alternately  with  them, 
and  rapidly,  as  a  dog  will  do  when  suddenly  plunged 
into  water.  Guapo  did  not  put  his  hands  near  them. 
He  knew  they  would  not  bite,  but  he  also  knew  jhat 
he  might  get  a  scratch  with  the  sharp  claws ;  and 
that  he  did  not  wish  for.  But  Guapo  had  a  way  to 
,ake  them ;  and  that  he  now  put  in  practice.  Lopping 
a  couple  of  branches  from  the  tree,  he  held  one  out 
to  each  of  the  ai's,  and  touched  them  with  it  on  the 


VRSTR    TV 


A    PAIR    OF    SLOW  GOERS.  171 

breast.  Each,  as  soon  as  it  felt  the  branch.,  clutched 
it  tightly  between  its  powerful  fore  arms,  and  held  on 
as  if  for  life  and  death.  It  would  have  taken  a 
stronger  man  than  Guapo  to  have  pulled  either  of  the 
branches  away  again.  The  thing  was  now  done. 
Giving  his  axe  to  Leon  to  carry  for  him,  Guapo  lifted 
an  ai,  still  clinging  to  the  branch,  in  each  hand,  and 
carried  them  off  as  if  they  had  been  a  pair  of  water 
pots.  He  did  not  wish  to  kill  them  until  he  got  them 
home,  alleging  that  they  were  better  for  eating  when 
freshly  butchered. 

The  bark  hunters  now  continued  their  route,  and 
shortly  after  entered  a  little  glade  or  opening  in  the 
forest,  about  an  acre  in  size.  When  they  had  reached 
the  middle  of  this,  Guapo  threw  his  ai's  upon  the 
ground  and  marched  on. 

"  Why  do  you  leave  them  ?  "  inquired  the  others. 

"  No  fear  for  them,"  replied  Guapo ;  "  they'll  be 
there  when  we  come  back.  If  I  carried  them  into 
the  woods  they  might  steal  off  while  we  were  at 
work ;  but  it  would  take  them  six  hours  to  get  to  the 
nearest  tree." 

All  laughed  at  this  and  went  on,  leaving  the  ai's  to 
themselves.  Before  passing  out  from  the  glade  they 
stopped  a  moment  to  look  at  the  great  conical  nests 
of  the  termites,  or  white  ants,  several  of  which,  like 
soldiers'  tents,  stood  near  the  edge  of  the  glade.  It 
was  yet  early ;  the  air  was  chilly,  and  the  ants  were 
not  abroad  ;  so  that,  after  gazing  for  a  while  on  these 
singular  habitations,  the  bark  gatherers  pursued  their 
way,  and  were  soon  under  the  shadow  of  the  cinchona 
trees. 


172  THE    BARK    HUNTERS. 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 


THE    BARK    HUNTERS. 


In  a  few  minutes  the  work  began  —  that  work 
which  was  to  occupy  them,  perhaps,  for  several 
years.  The  first  blow  of  Guapo's  axe  was  the  signal 
to  begin  the  making  of  a  fortune.  It  was  followed 
by  marv  others,  until  one  of  the  cinchonas  lay 
along  the  sward.  Then  Guapo  attacked  another,  as 
near  the  root  as  was  convenient  for  chopping. 

Don  Pablo's  part  of  the  work  now  began.  Armed 
with  a  sharp  knife,  he  made  circular  incisions  round 
the  trunk,  at  the  distance  of  several  feet  from  each 
other,  and  a  single  longitudinal  one  intersecting  all 
the  others.  The  branches  were  also  served  in  a  si  m 
ilar  way,  and  then  the  tree  was  left  as  it  lay.  In 
three  or  four  days  they  would  return  to  strip  off  the 
bark  both  from  trunk  and  branches,  and  this  would 
be  spread  out  under  the  sun  to  dry.  When  light  and 
dry  it  would  be  carried  to  the  storehouse.  So  the 
work  went  merrily  on.  The  trees  were  taken  as  they 
stood  —  the  very  young  ones  alone  being  left,  as  the 
bark  of  these  is  useless  for  commerce. 

The  Dona  Isidora  sat  upon  a  fallen  trunk,  and,  com 
versing  with  her  husband,  watched  the  proceedings 
with  interest.     A  new  and  happy  future  seemed  at 


THE    BARK    HUNTERS.  173 

no  great  distance  off.  Little  Leona  stood  beside 
Guapo,  watching  the  yellow  chips  as  they  flew,  and 
listening  to  some  very  fine  stories  with  which  Guapo 
was  regaling  her.  Guapo  loved  little  Leona.  He 
would  have  risked  his  life  for  her,  would  Guapo  ;  and 
Leona  knew  it. 

Leon  was  not  particularly  engaged  on  that  day. 
When  the  bark  was  ready  for  peeling  he  intended  to 
take  a  hand  with  the  rest.  He  could  then  employ 
himself  in  spreading  it,  or  could  lead  the  mule  in 
carrying  it  to  the  storehouse.  Leon  did  not  intend  to 
be  idle ;  but  there  happened  to  be  no  work  for  him 
just  then  ;  and,  after  watching  the  bark  cutters  for 
a  while,  he  sauntered  back  along  the  path,  in  order 
to  have  a  little  fun  with  the  ais.  Leon  had  no  very 
great  confidence  that  he  would  find  them  in  the  place 
where  they  had  been  left ;  and  yet  he  believed  in 
Guapo.  But  it  was  hard  to  understand  that  two  ani- 
mals, each  endowed  with  a  full  set  of  legs  and  feet, 
should  not  be  able  to  make  their  way  for  a  distance 
of  twenty  paces  and  escape,  after  the  rough  han- 
dling they  had  had,  too.  He  would  have  a  peep  at 
them,  any  how,  to  see  how  they  were  coming  on.  So 
back  he  went. 

On  getting  near  the  glade  their  voices  reached  him. 
They  were  there,  after  all.  He  could  hear  them 
utter  their  pitiful  "  ay-ee  —  ay-ee  !  "  and,  as  he 
thought,  in  a  louder  and  more  distressing  tone  than 
ever.  What  could  be  the  matter  ?  They  had  been 
silent  for  some  time,  he  was  sure  ;  for  such  cries  as 
they  now  uttered  could  have  been  heard  easily  where 
the  rest  were.     What  could  be  the   meaning  of  this 


174  THE    BARK    HUNTERS. 

fresh  outburst  ?  Had  some  new  enemy  attacked 
them  ?     It  seemed  like  enough. 

Leon  stole  forward  and  peeped  into  the  glade. 
No  —  there  was  nothing  near  them.  But  what  was 
the  matter  with  the  creatures  ?  Instead  of  lying 
quietly,  as  they  had  done  when  left  behind,  they  were 
now  rolling  and  tumbling  backward  and  forward,  and 
pitching  about,  and  dancing  first  on  their  feet  and 
then  on  their  heads,  and  cutting  all  sorts  of  strange 
capers.  Could  it  be  for  their  own  amusement  ?  No ; 
their  lamentable  cries  precluded  that  supposition ; 
besides,  their  odd  attitudes  and  contortions  bespoke 
terror  and  pain. 

"  Carrambo  !  "  muttered  Leon.  "  What's  the  mat- 
ter with  them  ?  " 

They  seemed  inclined  to  escape  towards  the  trees ; 
but,  after  making  a  few  lengths,  they  would  fall  to 
the  ground,  tumble  about,  and  then,  getting  up  again, 
head  in  the  opposite  direction. 

Leon  was  puzzled  —  no  wonder.  He  looked 
around  for  a  solution  of  this  queer  conduct  on  the 
part  of  the  ai's.  No  explanation  appeared.  At  length 
he  bethought  himself  of  going  up  to  them.  Perhaps, 
when  nearer,  he  might  learn  what  set  them  a-dancing. 

u  Ha  !  "  he  ejaculated,  struck  with  some  sudden 
thought.     "  I  know  now  ;  there's  a  snake  at  them." 

This  conjecture  —  for  it  was  only  a  conjecture  — 
caused  him  to  stop  short.  It  might  be  some  venom- 
ous snake,  thought  he.  The  grass  was  not  long,  and 
he  could  have  seen  a  very  large  snake  ;  but  still  a 
small  coral  snake,  or  the  little  poisonous  viper,  might 
have  been  there.   He  fancied  he  saw  something  mov- 


THE    BARK    HUNTERS.  T75 

ing  ,  but  to  get  a  better  view  be  passed  slowly  around 
the  edge  of  the  glade,  until  he  was  nearly  on  the  op- 
posite side  to  that  where  he  had  entered.  He  still 
kept  at  a  good  distance  from  the  ais,  but  as  yet  dis- 
covered no  snake. 

To  his  great  surprise  the  ai's  now  lay  stretched 
along  the  grass ;  their  struggles  appeared  each  mo- 
ment to  grow  less  violent,  and  their  melancholy  cries 
became  weaker  and  weaker.  Their  contortions  at 
length  came  to  an  end.  A  feeble  effort  to  raise  them- 
selves alone  could  be  perceived,  —  then  a  spasmodic 
motion  of  their  long,  crooked  limbs,  —  their  cries 
became  indistinct;  and,  after  a  while,  both  lay  mo- 
tionless and  silent.  Were  they  dead  ?  Surely  so, 
thought  Leon. 

He  stood  gazing  at  them  for  some  minutes.  Not 
a  motion  of  their  bodies  could  be  perceived.  Surely 
they  no  longer  lived.  But,  then,  what  could  have 
killed  them  ?  There  was  no  snake  to  be  seen  ;  no 
animal  of  any  kind  except  themselves.  Had  they 
been  taken  with  some  sudden  disease  —  some  kind 
of  convulsions  that  had  ended  fatally  ?  This  seemed 
the  most  probable  thing,  judging  from  the  odd  man- 
ner in  which  they  had  acted.  May  be  they  had  eaten 
some  sort  of  plant  that  had  poisoned  them. 

These  conjectures  passed  rapidly  through  the  mind 
of  Leon.  Of  course  he  resolved  to  satisfy  himself 
as  to  the  cause  of  their  death,  if  dead  they  actually 
were.  He  began  to  draw  nearer,  making  his  ad- 
vances with  stealth  and  caution,  as  he  was  still  appre- 
hensive about  the  snake. 

After  he  had  made  a  few  paces  in  a  forward  direc- 


176  THE    BARK    HUNTERS. 

tion,  he  began  to  perceive  something  moving  around 
the  bodies  of  the  animals.  Snakes  ?  No.  What 
then  ?  A  few  paces  nearer.  See  !  the  whole  ground 
is  in  motion.  The  bodies  of  the  ai's,  though  dead, 
are  covered  with  living,  moving  objects.  Ha  !  it  is 
a  "  chacu"  of  the  white  ants. 

Leon  now  comprehended  the  whole  affair.  The 
ground  was  literally  alive  with  the  terrible  termites. 
They  had  made  their  forray,  or  "  chacu,"  as  it  is 
called,  from  the  neighboring  cones  ;  they  had  at- 
tacked the  helpless  ai's,  and  put  them  to  death  with 
their  poisonous  stings.  Already  they  were  tearing 
them  to  pieces  and  bearing  them  off  to  their  dark 
caves.  So  thick  were  they  on  the  bodies  of  the  ani- 
mals that  the  latter  had  suddenly  changed  their  color, 
and  now  appeared  to  be  nothing  more  than  living 
neaps  of  crawling  insects. 

It  was  a  hideous  sight  to  behold,  and  Leon  felt  his 
flesh  creep  as  he  looked  upon  it.  Still  he  felt  a  curi- 
osity to  witness  the  result ;  and  he  stood  watching  the 
busy  crowd  that  had  gathered  about  the  ai's.  He  had 
heard  strange  accounts  of  these  white  ants  ;  how  that, 
in  a  few  minutes,  they  will  tear  the  carcasses  of  large 
animals  to  pieces  and  carry  them  away  to  their  dens ; 
and  he  was  determined  to  prove  the  truth  of  this  by 
observation.  He  did  not  go  any  nearer,  for  he  was 
not  without  some  dread  of  these  ugly  creatures ;  but 
happening  to  find  himself  beside  a  small  tree,  with 
low,  horizontal  branches,  he  climbed  up  and  sat  down 
upon  one  of  the  branches,  resting  his  feet  upon  anoth- 
er. He  was  inclined  to  take  the  thing  as  easily  aa 
possible. 


THE    BARK    HUNTERS.  177 

His  perch  commanded  a  full  view  of  the  operations 
of  the  termites,  and  for  a  long  time  he  sat  watching 
them  with  interest.  He  could  see  that  it  was  not  the 
same  set  that  were  always  on  the  carcasses  of  the  ai's. 
On  the  contrary,  one  host  were  always  leaving  the 
spot,  while  another  took  their  places,  and  from  the 
great  conical  houses  fresh  bands  appeared  to  issue. 
In  fact,  two  great  parallel  belts  of  them,  like  army 
columns,  stretched  from  the  "  hills  "  to  the  aVs,  going 
in  opposite  directions.  Those  which  travelled  to- 
wards the  cells  presented  a  very  different  appearance 
to  the  others.  These  were  loaded  with  pieces  of  torn 
flesh,  or  skin  with  tufts  of  hair  adhering  to  it ;  and 
each  ant  carried  a  piece  by  far  larger  than  its  own 
body.  Their  bodies,  in  fact,  were  quite  hidden  under 
their  disproportionate  burdens.  The  others  —  those 
which  were  coming  from  the  conical  hills  —  were 
empty  handed,  and  presented  the  appearance  of  a 
whitish  stream  flowing  along  the  surface  of  the 
ground. 

It  was  a  most  singular  sight ;  and  Leon  sat  watch- 
ing the  creatures  until  his  head  was  giddy,  and  he 
felt  as  though  the  ground  itself  was  in  motion. 
12 


178    THE  PUMA.  AND  THE  GREAT  ANT  BEAR. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE  PUMA  AND  THE  GREAT  ANT  BEAR. 

All  at  once  the  attention  of  the  boy  was  called 
away  from  the  crawling  millions.  A  rustling  among 
some  dead  leaves  was  heard.  It  appeared  to  proceed 
from  the  edge  of  the  glade,  not  far  from  the  ant  hills. 
The  branches  of  the  underwood  were  seen  to  move ; 
and  the  next  moment  a  slender,  cylindrical  object, 
about  a  foot  and  a  half  in  length,  was  protruded  out 
from  the  leaves.  Had  there  not  been  a  pair  of  small 
eyes  and  ears  near  the  farther  end  of  this  cylindrical 
object,  no  one  would  have  taken  it  for  the  head  and 
snout  of  an  animal.  But  Leon  saw  the  little  sparkling 
black  eyes,  and  he  therefore  conjectured  that  it  was 
some  such  creature.  The  next  moment  the  body 
came  into  view,  and  a  singular  creature  it  was.  It 
was  about  the  size  of  a  very  large  Newfoundland 
dog,  though  of  a  different  shape.  It  was  covered  all 
over  with  long,  brownish  hair,  part  of  which  looked 
so  coarse  as  to  resemble  dry  grass  or  bristles.  On 
each  shoulder  was  a  wide  stripe  of  black,  bordered 
with  whitish  bands  ;  and  the  tail,  which  was  full  three 
feet  long,  was  clothed  with  a  thick  growth  of  coarse 
hair,  several  inches  in  length,  that  looked  like  strips 
of  whalebone.  This  was  carried  aloft,  and  curving 
over  the  back.     But  the  most  curious  feature  of  the 


THE  PUMA  AND  THE  GREAT  ANT  BEAR.    179 

animal  was  its  snout.  Talk  of  the  nose  of  a  grey- 
hound;  it  would  be  a  "pug"  in  comparison!  That 
of  this  animal  was  full  twice  as  long,  and  not  half 
so  thick,  with  a  little  mouth  not  over  an  inch  in  size, 
and  without  a  single  tooth  !  It  was  certainly  the  odd- 
est snout  Leon  had  ever  seen.  The  legs,  too,  were 
remarkable.  They  were  stout  and  thick,  the  hinder 
ones  appearing  much  shorter  than  the  fore  legs ;  but 
this  was  because  the  creature  in  its  hind  feet  was 
plantigrade ;  that  is,  it  walked  with  the  whole  of  its 
soles  touching  the  surface,  which  only  bears  and  a 
few  other  sorts  of  quadrupeds  do.  Its  fore  feet,  too, 
were  oddly  placed  upon  the  ground.  They  had  four 
long  claws  upon  each ;  but  these  claws,  instead  of 
being  spread  out  as  in  the  dog  or  cat,  were  all  folded 
backward  along  the  sole  ;  and  the  creature,  to  avoid 
treading  on  them,  actually  walked  on  the  sides  of  its 
feet.  The  claws  were  only  used  for  scraping  up  the 
ground,  and  then  it  could  bring  them  forward  in  a 
perpendicular  position,  like  the  blade  of  a  hoe  or  the 
teeth  of  a  garden  rake.  Of  course,  with  feet  fur- 
nished in  such  an  out-of-the-way  fashion,  the  animal 
moved  but  slowly  over  the  ground.  In  fact  it  went 
very  slowly  and  with  a  stealthy  pace. 

Although  Leon  had  never  seen  the  creature  before, 
he  had  read  about  it,  and  had  also  seen  pictures  of 
it.  He  knew  it,  therefore,  at  a  glance.  That  pro- 
boscis-looking snout  was  not  to  be  mistaken.  It  could 
belong  tc  no  other  creature  than  the  tamanoir,  or 
great  ant  eater,  by  the  people  of  South  America 
called  the  ant  bear,  (Myrmecophaga  jubata.)  It  was, 
in  fact,  that  very  thing  ;  but  to  Leon's  astonishment, 


180    THE  PUMA  AND  THE  GREAT  ANT  BEAB. 

as  soon  as  it  got  fairly  out  of  the  bushes,  he  noticed 
a  singular-looking  hunch  upon  its  back,  just  over  the 
shoulder.  At  first  he  could  not  make  out  what  this  was, 
as  he  had  never  heard  of  such  a  protuberance  ;  be- 
sides, the  tail  half  hid  it  from  his  view.  All  of  a 
sudden  the  animal  turned  its  head  backwards,  touched 
the  hunch  with  its  snout,  gave  itself  a  shake,  and  then 
the  odd  excrescence  fell  to  the  ground,  and  proved  to 
be  a  young  ant  eater,  with  bushy  tail  and  long  snout, 
the  "  very  image  of  its  mother."  The  large  one  was 
thus  seen  to  be  a  female,  that  had  been  carrying  her 
infant  upon  her  shoulders. 

It  was  close  to  one  of  the  ant  hills  where  the  old 
tamanoir  placed  her  young  upon  the  ground  ;  and, 
turning  away  from  it,  she  approached  the  great  cone. 
Erecting  herself  upon  her  hind  feet,  she  stood  with 
the  fore  ones  resting  against  the  hill,  apparently  ex- 
amining it  and  considering  in  what  part  of  it  the  shell, 
or  roof,  was  thinnest  and  weakest.  These  cones,  com- 
posed of  agglutinated  sand  and  earth,  are  frequently 
so  stoutly  put  together  that  it  requires  a  pickaxe  or 
crowbar  to  break  them  open.  But  the  ant  eater  knew 
well  that  her  fore  feet  were  armed  with  an  implement 
equal  to  either  pick  or  crow  ;  and  she  would  certain- 
ly have  made  a  hole  there  and  then  had  she  not 
noticed,  on  looking  around  to  the  other  side,  that  the 
inhabitants  of  the  hill  were  all  abroad  upon  one  of 
their  forrays.  This  seemed  to  bring  about  a  sudden 
change  in  her  determination  ;  and,  dropping  her  fore 
feet  to  the  ground,  she  once  more  threw  up  her  great 
tail  and  returned  to  where  she  had  left  her  young  one. 
Partly  pushing  it  before  her  with  her  snout,  and  partlv 


THE    l'TTMA   AND   THE    GREAT    ANT   BE  VK.  181 

lfting  it  between  her  strong  fore  arms,  she  succeeded 
in  bringing  the  latter  to  the  border  of  the  path  along 
which  travelled  the  ants.  Here  she  squatted  down, 
and  placed  herself  so  that  the  point  of  her  nose  just 
touched  the  selvage  of  the  swarming  hosts,  having 
caused  the  youngster  by  her  side  to  do  the  same. 
Then,  throwing  out  a  long,  wormlike  tongue,  which 
glittered  with  a  viscous  coating,  she  drew  it  back, 
again  covered  with  ants.  These  passed  into  her 
mouth,  and  thence,  of  course,  into  her  capacious 
stomach.  The  tongue,  which  was  more  than  a  foot 
in  length,  and  nearly  as  thick  as  a  quill.,  was  again 
thrown  out,  and  again  drawn  back ;  and  this  opera- 
tion she  continued,  the  tongue  making  about  two 
"  hauls  "  to  every  second  of  time.  Now  and  then 
she  stopped  eating,  in  order  to  give  some  instructions 
to  the  little  one  that  was  seen  closely  imitating  her, 
and  with  its  more  slender  tongue  dealing  death  among 
the  termites. 

So  very  comic  was  the  sight  that  Leon  could  not 
help  laughing  at  it  as  he  sat  upon  his  perch. 

An  end,  however,  was  put  to  his  merriment  by  the 
sudden  appearance  of  another  animal  —  one  of  a  dif- 
ferent character.  It  was  a  large,  catlike  creature, 
of  a  reddish  yellow  or  tawny  color,  long  body  and 
tail,  round  head,  with  whiskers,  and  bright,  gleaming 
eyes.  Leon  had  seen  that  sort  of  animal  before  ;  he 
had  seen  it  led  in  strings  by  Indians  through  the 
streets  of  Cuzco,  and  he  at  once  recognized  it.  It 
was  the  puma  —  the  maneless  lion  of  America. 

The  specimens  which  Leon  had  seen  with  the  In- 
dians had  been  rendered  tame  and   harmless.     He 


182         THE    PUMA   AND    THE    fJREAT    ANT    BEAR. 

knew  lhat ;  but  he  had  also  been  told  that  the  animal 
in  its  wild  state  is  a  savage  and  dangerous  beast. 
This  is  true  of  the  puma  in  some  districts ;  while  in 
others  the  creature  is  cowardly,  and  will  flee  at  the 
sight  of  man.  In  all  cases,  however,  when  the  puma 
is  brought  to  bay,  it  makes  a  desperate  fight ;  and 
both  dogs  and  men  have  been  killed  in  the  attack. 

Leon  had  not  been  frightened  at  the  tamancir. 
Even  had  it  been  a  savage  creature,  he  knew  it 
could  not  climb  a  tree,  though  there  are  two  smaller 
species  of  ant  bears  in  South  America  that  can ;  and 
he  therefore  knew  he  was  quite  safe  on  his  perch. 
But  his  feelings  were  very  different  when  the  red 
body  of  the  puma  came  in  sight.  It  could  run  up 
the  smoothest  trunk  in  the  forest  with  as  much  ease 
and  agility  as  a  cat ;  and  there  would  be  no  chance 
of  escaping  from  it  if  it  felt  disposed  to  attack  him. 
Of  this  the  boy  was  fully  conscious ;  and  no  wondei 
he  was  alarmed. 

His  first  thought  was  to  leap  down  and  make  for 
the  cinchona  trees,  where  the  others  were ;  but  the 
puma  had  entered  the  glade  from  that  side,  and  it 
was  therefore  directly  in  his  way  ;  he  would  have 
run  right  in  its  teeth  by  going  towards  the  cinchona 
trees.  He  next  thought  of  slipping  quietly  down  and 
getting  into  the  woods  behind  him.  Unfortunately 
the  tree  on  which  he  was  stood  out  in  the  glade  quite 
apart  from  any  others  :  the  puma  would  see  him  go 
off,  and  of  course  could  overtake  him  in  a  dozen 
leaps.  These  thoughts  passed  through  the  boy's 
mind  in  a  few  seconds  of  time  ;  and  in  a  few  sec- 
onds of  time  he  was  convinced  that  his  best  course 


THE  PUMA  AND  THE  GREAT  ANT  BEAR.    183 

would  be  to  remain  where  he  was  and  keep  quiet. 
Perhaps  the  puma  would  not  notice  him  ;  as  yet  he 
had  not. 

No  doubt  he  would  have  done  so  had  there  been 
nothing  else  on  the  spot  to  take  off  his  attention  ;  but 
just  as  he  came  into  the  open  ground  his  eyes  fell 
upon  the  ant  eaters,  where  they  lay  squatted  and 
licking  up  the  termites.  He  had  entered  the  g.ade 
in  a  sort  of  skulking  trot ;  but  the  moment  he  saw 
the  tamanoirs  he  halted,  drew  his  body  into  a  crouch- 
ing attitude,  and  remained  thus  for  some  moments, 
while  his  long  tail  oscillated  from  side  to  side  as  that 
of  a  cat  when  about  to  spring  upon  a  mouse  or  a 
sparrow.  Just  at  this  moment  the  tamanoir,  having 
turned  round  to  address  some  conversation  to  her  young 
companion,  espied  him,  and  sprang  to  her  feet.  She 
recognized  in  the  puma  —  as  in  others  of  his  race  — 
a  deadly  enemy.  With  one  sweep  of  her  fore  arm 
she  flung  the  young  one  behind  her,  until  it  rested 
against  the  wall  of  the  ant  hill,  and  then,  following 
in  all  haste,  threw  herself  into  an  erect  attitude  in 
front  of  her  young,  covering  it  with  her  body.  She 
was  now  standing  firm  upon  her  hind  feet,  her  back 
resting  against  the  mud  wall  ;  but  her  long  snout  had 
entirely  disappeared.  That  was  held  close  along  her 
breast,  and  entirely  concealed  by  the  shaggy  tail, 
which  for  this  purpose  had  been  brought  up  in  front. 
Her  defence  rested  in  her  strong  fore  arms,  which, 
with  the  great  claws  standing  at  right  ang'es,  were 
now  held  out  in  a  threatening  manner.  The  young 
one,  no  doubt  aware  of  some  danger,  had  drawn 
itself  into  its  smallest  bulk  and  was  clewed  up  be- 
hind her. 


184    THE  PUMA  AND  THE  GREAT  ANT  BEAR. 

The  puma  dashed  forward,  open  mouthed,  and 
began  the  attack.  He  looked  as  though  he  would 
carry  every  thing  by  the  first  assault ,  but  a  sharp 
tear  from  the  tamanoir's  claws  drew  the  blood  from 
his  cheek  ;  and,  although  it  rendered  him  more  fu- 
rious, it  seemed  to  increase  his  caution.  In  the  two 
or  three  successive  attempts  he  kept  prudently  out  of 
reach  of  these  terrible  weapons.  His  adversary  held 
her  fore  legs  wide  open,  as  though  she  was  desirous 
of  getting  the  other  to  rush  between  them,  that  she 
might  clutch  him,  after  the  manner  of  the  bears. 
This  was  exactly  what  she  wanted ;  and  in  this  con- 
sists the  chief  mode  of  defence  adopted  by  these  ani- 
mals. The  puma,  however,  seemed  to  be  up  to  her 
trick. 

This  thrust-and-parry  game  continued  for  some 
minutes,  and  might  have  lasted  longer  had  it  not  been 
for  the  young  tamanoir.  This  foolish  little  creature, 
who  up  to  that  moment  was  not  very  sure  what  the 
fuss  was  all  about,  had  the  imprudent  curiosity  to 
thrust  out  its  slender  snout.  The  puma  espied  it,  and 
making  a  dart  forward,  seized  the  snout  in  his  great 
teeth,  and  jerked  the  animal  from  under.  It  uttered 
a  low  squall ;  but  the  next  moment  its  head  was 
"  crunched  "  between  the  muscular  jaws  of  the  puma. 

The  old  one  now  appeared  to  lose  all  fear  and 
caution.  Her  tail  fell  down,  her  long  snout  was  un- 
sheathed from  under  its  protection,  and  she  seemed 
undecided  what  to  do.  But  she  was  not  allowed 
much  time  to  reflect.  The  puma,  seeing  the  snout, 
the  most  vulnerable  part,  uncovered,  launched  him- 
self forward  like  an  arrow,  and  caught  hold  of  it  in 


THE  PUMA  AND  THE  GREAT  ANT  BEAR.    185 

his  bristling  fangs.  Then,  having  dragged  his  victim 
forward,  he  flung  her  upon  her  breast,  and,  mounting 
rapidly  on  her  back,  proceeded  to  worry  her  at  his 
pleasure. 

Although  Leon  pitied  the  poor  tamanoir,  yet  he 
dared  not  interfere,  and  would  have  permitted  the 
puma  to  finish  his  work  ;  but  a.  that  moment  a  sharp 
pain,  which  he  suddenly  felt  in  his  ankle,  caused  him 
to  start  upon  his  seat  and  utter  an  involuntary  scream. 


1R6        ATTACK  OF  THE  WHITE  ANTS. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 
ATTACK  OF  THE  WHITE  ANTS. 

Leon  looked  down  to  ascertain  what  had  caused 
him  such  a  sudden  pain.  The  sight  that  met  his 
eyes  made  his  blood  run  cold.  The  ground  below 
was  alive  and  moving.  A  white  stratum  of  ants  cov- 
ered it  on  all  sides  to  the  distance  of  several  yards. 
They  were  ascending  the  tree  !  Nay,  more  :  a  string 
of  them  had  already  crajvled  up  ;  the  trunk  was 
crowded  bv  others  coming  after ;  and  several  were 
upon  his  feet,  and  legs,  and  thighs.  It  was  one  of 
these  that  had  stung  him. 

The  fate  of  the  aYs,  which  he  had  just  witnessed, 
and  the  sight  of  the  hideous  host,  caused  him  again 
to  scream  out.  At  the  same  time  he  had  risen  to  his 
feet,  and  was  pulling  himself  up  among  the  upper 
branches.  He  soon  reached  the  highest ;  but  he  had 
not  been  a  moment  there  when  he  reflected  that  it 
would  be  no  security.  The  creatures  were  crawling 
upwards  as  fast  as  they  could  come. 

His  next  thought  was  to  descend  again,  leap  frcm 
the  tree,  and,  crushing  the  vermin  under  his  feet, 
make  for  the  bark  cutters.  He  had  made  up  his 
mind  to  this  course,  and  was  already  half  down, 
when  he  remembered  the  puma.  In  his  alarm  at  the 
approach   of  the  ants  he   had   quite    forgotten   this 


ATTACK  OF  THE  WHITE  ANTS.        187 

enemy  ;  and  he  now  remembered  that  it  was  directly 
in  the  way  of  his  intended  escape.  He  turned  his 
eyes  in  that  direction.  It  was  not  there.  The  ant 
bears  were  still  upon  the  ground, —  the  young  one 
dead,  and  the  mother  struggling  in  her  last  agonies, 

—  but  no  puma. 

The  boy  began  to  hope  that  his  cries  had  fright- 
ened him  off.  His  hope  was  shortlived  ;  for,  on 
glancing  around  the  glade,  he  now  beheld  the  fierce 
brute  crouching  among  the  grass,  and  evidently 
coming  towards  him.  What  was  to  be  done  ?  Would 
the  puma  attack  him  in  the  tree  ?  Surely  he  would  ; 
but  what  better  would  he  be  on  the  ground  ?  No 
better,  but  worse.  At  all  events  he  had  not  time 
for  much  reflection,  for  before  two  seconds  the  fierce 
puma  was  close  to  the  tree.  Leon  was  helpless  ; 
he  gave  himself  up  for  lost.  He  could  only  cry 
for  help  ;  and  he  raised  his  voice  to  its  highest 
pitch. 

The  puma  did  not  spring  up  the  tree  at  once,  as 
Leon  had  expected.  On  the  contrary,  it  crouched 
round  and  round,  with  glaring  eyes  and  wagging 
tail,  as  if  calculating  the  mode  of  attack.  Its  lips 
were  red,  —  stained  with  the  blood  of  the  ant  eaters, 

—  and  this  added  to  the  hideousness  of  its  appearance. 
But  it  needed  not  that ;  for  it  was  hideous  enough  at 
any  time. 

Leon  kept  his  eyes  upon  it,  every  moment  expect- 
ing it  to  spring  up  the  tree.  All  at  once  he  saw  it 
give  a  sudden  start ;  and  at  the  same  instant  he  heard 
a  hissing  noise,  as  if  something  passed  rapid  y 
through    the   air.      Ha  !    something   sticking   in  the 


188        ATTACK  OF  THE  WHITE  ANTS. 

body  of  the  puma !  It  is  an  arrow  —  a  poisoned 
arrow  !  The  puma  utters  a  fierce  growl ;  it  turns 
upon  itself;  the  arrow  is  crushed  between  its  teeth. 
Another  "  hist  "  —  another  arrow  !  Hark  !  a  well- 
known  voice  —  well-known  voices  —  the  voices  of 
Don  Pablo  and  Guapo  !  See  !  they  burst  into  the 
glade  —  Don  Pablo  with  his  axe,  and  Guapo  with 
his  unerring  gravatana ! 

The  puma  turns  to  flee.  He  has  already  reached 
the  border  of  the  wood ;  he  staggers  ;  the  poison  is 
doing  its  work.  Hurrah  !  he  is  down ;  but  the  poison 
does  not  kill  him,  for  the  axe  of  Don  Pablo  is  crash- 
ing through  his  skull.  Hurrah  !  the  monster  is  dead, 
and  Leon  is  triumphantly  borne  off  on  the  shoulders 
of  the  faithful  Guapo  ! 

Don  Pablo  dragged  the  puma  away,  in  order  that 
they  might  get  his  fine  skin.  The  ant  eaters  — 
both  of  which  were  now  dead  —  he  left  behind,  as  he 
saw  that  the  termites  were  crawling  thickly  around 
them  and  had  already  begun  their  work  of  devasta- 
tion. Strange  to  say,  as  the  party  returned  that  way, 
going  to  dinner,  not  a  vestige  remained  either  of  the 
ai's  or  the  ant  eaters  except  a  few  bones  and  some 
portions  of  coarse  hair.  The  rest  of  all  these  ani- 
mals had  been  cleared  off  by  the  ants  and  carried 
into  the  cells  of  their  hollow  cones. 

It  was  no  doubt  the  noise  of  the  bark  hunters  that 
had  started  the  ant  eaters  abroad,  for  these  creatures 
usually  prowl  only  in  the  night.  The  same  may 
have  aroused  the  fierce  puma  from  his  lair,  although 
he  is  not  strictly  a  nocturnal  hunter. 

A  curious  incident  occurred  as  they  approached 


ATTACK    OF    THE    WHITE    ANTS.  189 

the  glade  on  their  way  home.  The  male  tamanoir 
was  roused  from  his  nest  among  the  dry  leaves ; 
and  Guapo,  instead  of  running  upon  him  and  killing 
the  creature,  warned  them  all  to  keep  a  little  back, 
and  he  would  show  them  some  fun.  Guapo  now 
commenced  shaking  the  leaves,  so  that  they  rattled 
as  if  rain  was  falling  upon  them.  At  this  the  ant 
eater  jerked  up  its  broad  tail,  and  appeared  to  shelter 
itself  as  with  an  umbrella.  Guapo  then  went  towards 
it  and  commenced  driving  it  before  him  just  as  if  it 
had  been  a  sheep  or  goat ;  and  in  this  manner  he 
took  it  all  the  way  to  the  house.  Of  course  Guapo 
took  care  not  to  irritate  it ;  for,  when  that  is  done, 
the  ant  eater  will  either  turn  out  of  his  way  or  stop 
to  defend  itself. 

The  tamanoir  is  not  so  defenceless  a  creature  as 
might  at  first  sight  be  imagined  by  considering  his 
small,  toothless  mouth  and  slow  motions.  His  mode 
of  defence  is  that  which  has  been  described,  and 
which  is  quite  sufficient  against  the  tiger  cat,  the 
ocelot,  and  all  the  smaller  species  of  feline  animals. 
No  doubt  the  old  female  would  have  proved  a  match 
for  the  puma  had  she  not  been  thrown  off  her  guard 
by  his  seizing  upon  her  young.  It  is  even  asserted 
that  the  great  ant  bear  sometimes  hugs  the  jaguar  to 
death ;  but  this  I  believe  to  be  a  mistake,  as  the 
latter  is  far  too  powerful  and  active  to  be  thus  con- 
quered. Doubtless  the  resemblance  of  the  jaguar  to 
some  of  the  smaller  spotted  cats  of  these  countr:es 
leads  to  a  great  many  misconceptions  concerning  the 
prowess  of  the  American  tiger. 

Besides  the  tamanoir,  there   are   two,  or  perhaps 


190  ATTACK    OF    THE    "WHITE    ANTS. 

three,  other  species  of  ant  hears  in  the  forests  of 
South  America.  These,  however,  are  so  different  in 
habits  and  appearance  that  they  might  properly  be 
classed  as  a  separate  genus  of  animals.  They  are 
tree  climbers ;  which  the  tamanoir  is  not,  spite  of  his 
great  claws.  They  pursue  the  ants  that  build  their 
nests  upcr;  the  high  branches,  as  well  as  the  wasps 
and  bees  and,  to  befit  them  for  this  life,  they  are 
furnished  with  naked  prehensile  tails,  like  the  opos- 
sums and  monkeys.  These  are  characteristics  en- 
tirely distinct  from  those  of  the  Myrmecophaga  jubata, 
or  great  ant  eater. 

One  of  these  species  is  the  tamandua,  called  by 
the  Spano-Americans  Osso  hormiguero,  (ant  bear.) 
The  tamandua  is  much  less  than  the  tamanoir, 
being  only  three  and  a  half  feet  in  length,  while 
the  latter  is  over  seven.  The  former  is  of  a  stouter 
build,  with  neither  so  long  a  snout  in  proportion, 
nor  such  claws.  The  claws,  moreover,  are  made 
for  tree  climbing,  and  are  not  so  much  in  the  way 
when  the  animal  walks  on  the  ground.  It  is  there- 
fore a  more  active  creature,  and  stands  better  upon 
its  limbs.  Its  fur  is  short  and  silky  ;  but  the  tail  is 
nearly  naked,  and,  as  already  stated,  highly  prehen- 
sile, although  it  does  not  sleep  hanging  by  the  tail  as 
some  other  animals  do. 

The  tamandua  is  usually  of  a  dull  straw  color ; 
although  it  varies  in  this  respect,  so  that  several 
species  have  been  supposed  to  exist.  It  spends 
most  of  its  time  upon  the  trees ;  and,  in  addition  to 
its  ant  diet,  it  feeds  upon  wild  honey,  and  bees, 
too,  whenever  it  can  catch  them.     The  female,   ike 


ATTACK    OF    THE    WHITE    ANTS.  191 

the  tamanoir,  produces  only  one  young  at  a  birth 
and,  like  the  other  species,  carries  it  upon  her  back 
until  it  is  able  to  provide  for  itself.  The  tamandua 
has  sometimes  been  called  tridactyla,  or  the  "  three- 
toed  ant  eater,"  because  it  has  only  three  claws  upon 
each  of  its  fore  feet,  whereas  the  tamanoir  is  pro* 
vided  with  four. 

Another  species  of  "  ant  bear,"  differing  from  both 
in  size  and  in  many  of  its  habits,  is  the  "  little  ant 
eater,"  (Myrmecophaga  didactyla.)  This  one  has 
only  two  claws  on  each  fore  foot ;  hence  its  specific 
name.  It  is  a  very  small  creature, —  not  larger  than 
the  common  gray  squirrel,  —  with  a  prehensile  tail 
like  the  tamandua.  The  tail,  however,  is  not  entirely 
naked  —  only  on  the  under  side  near  the  point.  It 
is  not  so  good  a  walker  as  the  three-toed  kind,  though 
more  active  on  its  feet  than  the  tamanoir.  Standing 
upon  its  hind  feet,  and  supporting  itself  also  by  the 
tail,  —  which  it  has  already  thrown  around  some 
branch,  —  the  little  ant  eater  uses  its  fore  feet  as 
hands  to  carry  food  to  its  mouth.  It  lives  among 
the  trees,  and  feeds  upon  wasps,  bees,  and  especially 
the  larvsB  of  both  ;  but  it  does  not  use  the  tongue  to 
any  great  extent.  It  is  on  this  account  an  essentially 
different  sort  of  animal. 

The  little  ant  eater  is  usually  of  a  bright-yellow 
color,  brownish  on  the  back ;  but  there  are  many 
varieties  in  this  respect,  and  some  are  of  a  snowy 
whiteness.  Its  fur  is  soft  and  silky,  sometimes  slight- 
1}  curled  or  matted  at  the  points  ;  and  the  tail  fur  is 
annulated,  or  ringed,  with  the  prevailing  colors  of  the 
body.     So  much  for  the  artt  bears  of  America. 


192  THE    ANT    LION. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


THE   ANT    LION. 


Ants  are  disagreeable  insects  in  any  country,  but 
especially  so  in  warm,  tropical  climates.  Their  ugly 
appearance,  their  destructive  habits,  but,  above  all, 
the  pain  of  their  sting,  or  rather  bite,  —  for  ants  do 
not  sting  as  wasps,  but  bite  with  the  jaws,  and  then 
infuse  poison  into  the  wound,  —  all  these  render  them 
very  unpopular  creatures.  A  superficial  thinker 
would  suppose  that  such  troublesome  insects  could  be 
of  no  use,  and  would  question  the  propriety  of  Nature 
in  having  created  them.  But,  when  we  give  the  sub- 
ject a  little  attention,  we  find  that  they  were  not  cre- 
ated in  vain.  Were  it  not  for  these  busy  creatures, 
what  would  become  of  the  vast  quantities  of  decom- 
posing substances  found  in  some  countries  ?  What 
would  be  done  with  the  decaying  vegetation  and 
the  dead  animal  matter?  Why,  in  many  places, 
were  it  not  consumed  by  these  insects  and  reorgan- 
ized into  new  forms  of  life,  it  would  produce  pesti- 
lence and  death ;  and  surely  these  are  far  more  dis- 
agreeable things  than  ants. 

Of  ants  there  are  many  different  kinds ;  but  the 
greatest  number  of  species  belong  to  warm  countries, 
where,  indeed,  they  are  most  useful.  Some  of  these 
species  are  so  curious  in  their  habits  that  whole  vol- 


THE    ANT    LION.  193 

umes  have  been  written  about  them,  and  naturalists 
have  spent  a  lifetime  in  their  study  and  observation. 
Their  social  and  domestic  economy  is  of  the  most 
singular  character,  more  so  than  that  of  the  bees ; 
and  I  am  afraid  here  to  give  a  single  trait  of  their 
lives,  lest  I  should  be  led  on  to  talk  too  much  about 
them.  I  need  only  mention  the  wonderful  nests  or 
hills  which  some  species  build  —  those  great  cones 
of  twenty  feet  in  height,  and  so  strong  that  wild  bulls 
"un  up  their  sides  and  stand  upon  their  tops  without 
doing  them  the  least  injury !  Others  make  their 
nouses  of  cylindrical  form,  rising  several  feet  from 
the  surface.  Others,  again,  prefer  nesting  in  the 
trees,  where  they  construct  large  cellular  masses  of 
many  shapes,  suspending  them  from  the  highest 
branches ;  while  many  species  make  their  waxen 
dwellings  in  hollow  trunks  or  beneath  the  surface  of 
the  earth.  There  is  not  a  species,  however,  whose 
habits,  fully  observed  and  described,  would  not  strike 
you  with  astonishment.  Indeed  it  is  difficult  to 
believe  all  that  is  related  about  these  insects  by  natu- 
ralists who  have  made  them  their  study.  One  can 
hardlv  understand  how  such  little  creatures  can  be 
gifted  with  so  much  intelligence,  or  instinct,  as  some 
choose  to  call  it. 

Man  is  not  the  only  enemy  of  the  ants.  If  he 
were  so,  it  is  to  be  feared  that  these  small,  insignifi- 
cant creatures  would  soon  make  the  earth  too  hot  for 
"rim.  So  prolific  are  they,  that  if  left  to  themselves 
our  whole  planet  would  in  a  short  period  become  a 
gigantic  ant's  nest ! 

Nature  has  wisely  provided  against  the  over-increase 
13 


194  THE    ANT    LION. 

of  the  ant  family.  No  living  thing  has  a  greater 
variety  of  enemies  than  they.  In  all  the  divisions 
of  animated  nature  there  are  ant  destroyers  —  am 
eaters.  To  begin  with  the  mammalia :  man  himself 
feeds  upon  them ;  for  there  are  tribes  of  Indians  in 
South  America  the  principal  part  of  whose  food  con« 
sists  of  dried  termites,  which  they  bake  into  a  kind 
of  "  paste."  There  are  quadrupeds  that  live  exclu- 
sively on  them ;  as  the  ant  bear,  already  described ; 
and  the  pangolins,  or  scaly  ant  eaters,  of  the  eastern 
continent.  There  are  birds,  too,  of  many  sorts  that 
devour  the  ants ;  and  there  are  even  some  who  make 
them  exclusively  their  food  ;  as  the  genus  Myothera, 
or  "  ant  catchers."  Many  kinds  of  reptiles,  both 
snakes  and  lizards,  are  ant  eaters ;  and,  what  is 
strangest  of  all,  there  are  insects  that  prey  upon 
them ! 

No  wonder,  then,  with  such  a  variety  of  enemies, 
that  the  ants  are  kept  within  proper  limits,  and  are 
not  allowed  to  overrun  the  earth. 

The  observations  just  made  are  very  similar  to 
those  that  were  addressed  by  Dona  Isidora  to  the 
little  Leona  one  day  when  they  were  left  alone. 
The  others  had  gone  about  their  usual  occupation  of 
bark  cutting  ;  and  these,  of  course,  remained  at  home 
to  take  care  of  the  house  and  cook  the  dinner.  That 
was  already  hanging  over  a  fire  outside  the  house ; 
for  in  these  hot  countries  it  is  often  more  convenient 
to  do  the  cooking  out  of  doors. 

Dona  Isidora,  busy  with  some  sewing,  was  seated 
under  the  shadow  of  the  banana  trees,  and  the  pretty 
little  Leona  was  playing  near  her.     Leona  had  been 


THE    ANT    LION.  195 

abusing  the  ants,  partly  on  account  of  their  having 
so  frightened  Leon,  and  partly  because  one  of  the 
red  species  had  bitten  herself  the  day  before  ;  and  it 
was  for  this  reason  that  her  mother  had  entered  into 
such  explanations  regarding  these  creatures,  with  a 
view  of  exculpating  them  from  the  bitter  accusations 
urged  against  them  by  Leona.  Talking  about  ants 
very  naturally  led  them  to  cast  their  eyes  to  the 
ground  to  see  if  any  of  the  creatures  were  near ;  and 
sure  enough  there  were  several  of  the  red  ones  wan- 
dering about  Just  then  the  eyes  of  Dona  Isidora 
rested  upon  a  very  different  insect,  and  she  drew  the 
attention  of  her  daughter  to  it.  It  was  an  insect  of 
considerable  size,  being  full  an  inch  in  length,  with 
an  elongated,  oval  body,  and  a  small,  flat  head.  From 
the  head  protruded  two  great  horny  jaws,  that  bore 
some  resemblance  to  a  pair  of  caliper  compasses. 
Its  legs  were  short  and  very  unfitted  for  motion. 
Indeed  they  were  not  of  much  use  for  that  pur- 
pose, as  it  could  make  very  little  way  on  ihem,  but 
crawled  only  sideways  or  backwards,  with  great 
apparent  difficulty.  The  creature  was  of  a  grayish 
or  sand  color;  and  in  the  sand,  where  it  was  seated, 
it  might  not  have  been  observed  at  all  had  not  the 
lady's  eyes  been  directed  upon  the  very  spot.  But 
Dona  Isidora,  who  was  a  very  good  entomologist, 
recognized  it,  and,  knowing  that  it  was  a  very  curi- 
ous insect,  on  this  account  called  the  attention  of  hef 
daughter  to  it. 

"  What  is  it,  mamma  ?  "  inquired  the  little  Leona, 
bending  forward  to  examine  it. 

*  The  ant  lion  " 


196  THE    ANT    LION. 

"  The  ant  lion !     Why,  mamma,  it  is  an  insect 
How,  then,  can  it  be  called  lion  ?  " 

"  It  is  a  name  given  it,"  replied  the  lady,  "  on 
account  of  its  fierce  habits,  which,  in  that  respect, 
assimilate  it  to  its  powerful  namesake,  the  king  of 
the  beasts ;  and  indeed  this  little  creature  has  more 
strength  and  ferocity  in  proportion  to  its  size  than 
even  the  lion  himself." 

"  But  why  the  ant  lion,  mamma  ?  " 

"  Because  it  preys  principally  on  ants.  I  have 
said  there  are  insect  ant  eaters.  This  is  one  of 
them." 

"  But  how  can  such  a  slow  creature  as  that  get 
hold  of  them  ?  Why,  the  ants  could  crawl  out  of 
its  way  in  a  moment !  " 

"  That  is  true.  Nevertheless  it  manages  to  cap 
ture  as  many  as  it  requires.  Remember  l  the  race  is 
not  always  to  the  swift.'  It  is  by  stratagem  it  suc- 
ceeds in  taking  its  prey  —  a  very  singular  stratagem, 
too.  If  you  will  sit  back  and  not  frighten  it,  I  have 
no  doubt  it  will  soon  give  you  an  opportunity  of  see- 
ing how  it  manages  the  matter." 

Leona  took  a  seat  by  the  side  of  her  mother. 
They  ware  both  at  just  such  a  distance  from  the  ant 
lion  that  they  could  observe  every  movement  it  made; 
but  for  a  considerable  time  it  remained  quiet  —  no 
doubt  because  they  had  alarmed  it.  In  the  interval 
Dona  Isidora  imparted  to  her  daughter  some  further 
information  about  its  natural  history. 

"  The  ant  lion,  {Myrmeleon^f  said  she, "  is  not  an 
insect  in  its  perfect  state,  but  only  the  larva  of  one. 
The  perfect  insec*  is  a  very  different  creature,  hav* 


THE    ANT    LION.  197 

ing  wings  and  longer  legs.  It  is  one  of  the  neurop* 
terous  tribe,  or  those  with  nerved  wings.  The  wings 
of  this  species  rest  against  each  other,  forming  a 
covering  over  its  body  like  the  roof  upon  a  house. 
They  are  most  beautifully  reticulated  like  the  finest 
lacework,  and  variegated  with  dark  spots,  that  give 
the  insect  a  very  elegant  appearance.  Its  habits  are 
quite  different  to  those  which  it  follows  when  a  larva, 
or  in  that  state  when  it  is  the  ant  lion.  It  flies  but 
little  during  the  day,  and  is  usually  found  quietly 
sitting  amongst  the  leaves  of  plants,  and  seems  to  be 
one  of  the  most  pacific  and  harmless  of  insects. 
How  very  different  with  the  larva !  —  the  very  reverse. 
See!" 

Dona  Isidora  pointed  to  the  ant  lion,  that  was  just 
then  beginning  to  bestir  itself;  and  both  sat  silent, 
regarding  it  attentively. 

First,  then,  the  little  creature,  going  backwards 
and  working  with  its  calipers,  traced  a  circle  on  the 
surface  of  the  sand.  This  circle  was  between  two 
and  three  inches  in  diameter.  Having  completed  it, 
it  now  commenced  to  clear  out  all  the  sand  within 
the  circle.  To  accomplish  this,  it  was  seen  to  scrape 
up  the  sand  with  one  of  its  fore  feet  and  shovel  a 
quantity  of  it  upon  its  flat  head  ;  then,  giving  a  sud- 
den jerk  of  the  neck,  it  pitched  the  sand  several 
inches  outside  the  traced  circumference.  This  opera- 
tion it  repeated  so  often  and  so  adroitly  that  in  a  very 
short  time  a  round  pit  began  to  show  itself  in  the 
surface  of  the  ground.  Wherever  it  encountered  a 
stone,  this  was  raised  between  its  calipers  and  pitched 
out  beyond  the  ring.      Sometimes  stones  occurred 


1!)8       .  THE    ANT    LION. 

that  were  too  large  to  be  thrown  out  in  this  way. 
These  it  managed  to  get  upon  its  back ;  and  then, 
crawling  cautiously  up  the  sides  of  the  pit,  it  tumbled 
them  upon  the  edge  and  rolled  them  away.  Had  it 
met  with  a  stone  so  large  as  to  render  this  impossi- 
ble, it  would  have  left  the  place  and  chosen  anothe* 
spot  of  ground.  Fortunately  this  was  not  the  ca% , 
and  they  had  an  opportunity  of  watching  the  labor  13 
its  conclusion. 

For  nearly  an  hour  they  sat  watching  it,  —  of  course 
not  neglecting  their  other  affairs,  •  and  at  the  end  of 
that  time  the  ant  lion  had  jerked  out  so  much  sand 
that  a  little  funnel-shaped  pit  was  formed,  nearly  as 
deep  as  it  was  wide.  This  was  its  trap ;  and  it  was 
now  finished  and  ready  for  action. 

Having  made  all  its  arrangements,  it  had  nothing 
more  to  do  than  remain  at  the  bottom  of  the  pit  and 
wait  patiently  until  some  unfortunate  ant  should  chance 
to  come  that  way  and  fall  in  ;  and  where  these  insects 
were  constantly  wandering  over  the  ground,  such  an 
accident  would,  sooner  or  later,  be  certain  to  take 
place. 

Lest  the  ant  should  peep  into  the  pit,  discover  its 
hideous  form  below,  and  then  retreat,  this  ant  lion 
had  actually  the  cunning  to  bury  its  body  in  the  sand, 
leaving  only  a  small  portion  of  its  head  to  be  seen. 

Both  Dona  Isidora  and  the  little  Leona  remained 
watching  with  increased  interest.  They  were  very 
anxious  to  witness  the  result.  They  were  not  kept 
long  in  suspense.  I  have  already  stated  that  many 
ants  were  crawling  about.  There  were  dozens  of 
them  "  quartering  "  the  ground  in  every  direction  in 


THE    ANT    LION.  199 

search  of  their  own  prey ;  and  they  left  not  an  inch 
of  it  unsearched.-  At  last  one  was  seen  to  approach 
the  trap  of  the  ant  lion.  Curiosity  brings  it  to  the 
very  edge  of  that  terrible  pitfall.  It  protrudes  its 
head  and  part  of  its  body  over  the  brink ;  it  is  not 
such  a  terrible  gulf  to  look  into;  if  it  should  slip 
down,  it  could  easily  crawl  out  again.  Ha !  it  little 
knows  the  enemy  that  is  ambushed  there.  It  per- 
ceives something  singular  —  an  odd  something  — 
perhaps  k  might  be  something  good  to  eat.  It  is  half 
resolved  to  slide  down  and  make  a  closer  examination 
of  this  something.  It  is  balancing  on  the  brink,  and 
would,  no  doubt,  have  gone  down  voluntarily  ;  but  that 
is  no  longer  left  to  its  own  choice.  The  mysterious 
object  at  the  bottom  of  the  funnel  suddenly  springs 
up  and  shows  itself.  It  is  the  ant  lion,  in  all  its  hid- 
eous proportions ;  and  before  the  little  ant  can  dr  iw 
its  '.If  away,  the  other  has  flung  around  it  a  shower 
of  sand  that  brings  it  rolling  down  the  side  of  the  pit. 
Th*)n  the  sharp  calipers  are  closed  upon  the  victim  ; 
all  the  moisture  in  his  body  is  sucked  out ;  and  his 
remains,  now  a  dry  and  shapeless  mass,  are  rested 
for  a  moment  upon  the  head  of  the  destroyer,  and 
then  jerked  far  outside  the  pit ! 

The  ant  lion  now  dresses  his  trap,  and,  again  bury* 
in£  himself  in  the  sand,  awaits  another  victim. 


200   THE  TATOU-POYOU  AND  THE  DEER  CARCASS. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
THE  TATOU-POYOU  AND  THE  DEER  CARCASS. 

Dona  Isidora  and  Leona  had  watched  all  th#\ 
manoeuvres  of  the  ant  lion  with  great  interest ;  and 
Leona,  after  the  bite  she  had  had,  was  not  in  any 
mood  to  sympathize  with  the  ants.  Indeed  she  felt 
rather  grateful  to  the  ant  lion,  ugly  as  he  was,  for 
killing  them. 

Presently  Leon  returned  from  the  woods,  and  was 
shown  the  trap  in  full  operation ;  but  Leon  upon  this 
day  was  full  of  adventures  that  had  occurred  upon 
the  hills  to  himself,  Guapo,  and  Don  Pablo.  In  fact 
he  had  hastened  home  before  the  others  to  tell  his 
mamma  of  the  odd  incidents  to  which  he  had  been  a 
witness. 

That  morning  they  had  discovered  a  new  mancha 
of  cinchona  trees.  When  proceeding  towards  them 
they  came  upon  the  dead  carcass  of  a  deer.  It  was 
a  large  species,  the  Cervus  antisensis ;  but,  as  it  had 
evidently  been  dead  several  days,  it  was  swollen  ou 
to  twice  its  original  size,  as  is  always  the  case  with 
carcasses  of  animals  left  exposed  in  a  warm  climate. 
It  was  odd  that  some  preying  animals  had  not  eaten 
it  up.  A  clump  of  tall  trees  that  shaded  it,  had,  no 
doubt,  concealed  it  from  the  sharp  sight  of  the  vul- 
tures ;  and  these  birds,  contrary  to  what  has  so  often 


THE  TATOtT-POYOU  AND  THE  DEER  CARCASS.      201 

been  alleged,  can  find  no  dead  body  by  tbe  smell. 
Neither  ants  nor  animals  that  prey  upon  carrion  had 
chanced  to  come  that  way ;  and  there  lay  the  deer 
intact. 

So  thought  Don  PaHo  and  Leon.  Guapo,  howev- 
er, was  of  a  different  opinion;  and,  going  up  to  the 
body,  he  struck  it  a  blow  with  his  axe.  To  the  sur- 
prise of  the  others,  instead  of  the  dead  sound  which 
they  expected  to  hear,  a  dry  crash  followed  the  blow, 
and  a  dark  hole  appeared  where  a  piece  of  thin,  shell- 
like substance  had  fallen  off.  Another  blow  from 
Guapo's  axe,  and  the  whole  side  went  in.  Not  a  bit 
of  carcass  was  there ;  there  were  bones  —  clean 
bones  —  and  dry  hard  skin,  but  no  flesh,  not  an  atom 
of  flesh. 

"  Tatou-poyou  !  "  quietly  remarked  Guapo. 

"  What !  "  said  Don  Pablo,  "  an  armadillo,  you 
think  ?  "  recognizing  in  Guapo's  words  the  Indian 
name  for  one  of  the  large  species  of  armadillos. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Guapo.  "  All  eaten  by  the  tatou- 
poyou.     See  !  there's  his  hole." 

Don  Pablo  and  Leon  bent  over  the  sham  carcass ; 
and,  sure  enough,  under  where  its  body  had  been  they 
could  see  a  large  hole  in  the  ground.  Outside  the 
carcass,  also,  at  the  distance  of  several  feet,  was 
another. 

"  That  is  where  he  entered,"  said  Guapo,  pointing 
to  the  second.  "  He's  not  about  here  now,"  con- 
tinued he;  "  no,  no  —  ate  all  the  meat  and  gone  long 
ago." 

This  was  evident ;  as  the  hollow  skeleton  was  quite 
dry,  and  had  evidently  been  empty  for  a.  good  while 


202   THE  TATOU-POYOU  AND  THE  DEER  CAROLS. 

Don  Pablo  was  pleased  at  this  incident,  as  it  gave 
him  an  opportunity  of  verifying  a  curious  habit  of 
the  armadillos.  These  creatures  are  among  the  finest 
burrowers  in  the  world,  and  can  bury  themselves  in 
the  earth  in  a  few  seconds'  time ;  but,  being  badly 
toothed,  —  some  of  them  altogether  without  teeth,  — 
they  can  only  feed  upon  very  soft  substances.  Pu- 
trid flesh  is  with  them  a  favorite  "  dish  ;"  and,  in  order 
to  get  at  the  softest  side  of  a  carcass,  they  burrow 
under  and  enter  it  from  below,  rarely  leaving  theii 
horrid  cave  until  they  have  thoroughly  cleared  it  out. 

The  bark  hunters  now  passed  on,  Don  Pablo  mak- 
ing many  inquiries  about  the  armadillos,  and  Guapo 
giving  replies,  while  Leon  listened  with  interest. 
Guapo  knew  a  good  deal  about  these  curious  crea- 
tures ;  for  he  had  eaten  many  a  dozen  of  them  in  his 
time,  and  as  many  different  kinds  of  them  too.  Their 
feeding  upon  carrion  had  no  effect  on  Guapo's  stom- 
ach ;  and,  indeed,  white  people  in  South  America 
relish  them  as  much  as  Indians.  The  white  people, 
however,  make  a  distinction  in  the  species,  as  they 
suppose  some  kinds  to  be  more  disposed  to  a  vegeta 
ble  diet  than  others.  There  are  some  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  settlements  that  occasionally  pay  a 
visit  to  the  graveyards,  or  cemeteries,  and  these  kinds 
do  not  go  down  well.  All  of  them  will  devour  almost 
any  sort  of  trash  that  is  soft  and  pulpy,  and  they  are 
more  destructive  to  the  ant  than  even  the  ant  eaters 
themselves.  How  so  ?  Because,  instead  of  making 
a  nice  little  hole  in  the  side  of  the  ant  hill,  as  the 
tamanoirs  do,  and  through  this  hole  eating  the  ants 
themselves,  the  armadillos  break  down  a  large  par* 


THE  TATOU-POTOU  AND  THE  DEER  CARCASS.  203 

©f  the  structure  and  devour  the  larva.  Now,  the  ants 
love  these  larva  more  than  their  own  lives  ;  and  when 
these  are  destroyed  they  yield  themselves  up  to  df- 
spair,  refuse  to  patch  up  the  building,  the  rain  gets 
in,  and  the  colony  is  ruined  and  breaks  up. 

It  does  not  follow,  however,  that  the  flesh  of  the 
armadillo  should  be  "queer"  because  the  animal 
itself  eats  queer  substances.  Among  carnivorous 
creatures  the  very  opposite  is  sometimes  the  truth ; 
and  some  animals,  —  as  the  tapir,  for  instance,  —  that 
feed  exclusively  on  sweet  and  succulent  vegetables, 
produce  a  most  bitter  flesh  for  themselves.  About 
this  there  is  no  standing  law  either  way. 

The  flesh  of  the  armadillo  is  excellent  eating,  not 
unlike  young  pork  ;  and,  when  "  roasted  in  the  she'*," 
(the  Indian  mode  of  cooking  it,)  it  is  quite  equal,  if 
not  superior,  to  a  baked  "pig,"  *»-  dish  very  nuch 
eaten  in  our  own  country. 

Guapo  did  not  call  them  armadillos  ;  he  had  sever- 
al Indian  names  for  different  kinds  of  them.  "  Ar» 
madillo  "  is  the  Spanish  name,  and  signifies  the  "  little 
armed  one,"  the  diminutive  of"  armado,"  or"  armed." 
This  name  is  peculiarly  appropriate  to  these  animals, 
as  the  hard,  bony  casing  which  covers  the  whole  upper 
parts  of  their  bodies  bears  an  exceeding  resemblance 
to  the  suits  of  armor  worn  in  the  days  of  Cortez  and 
chivalry. 

On  the  head  there  is  the  helmet  ;*  the  back  is 
shielded  by  a  corselet ;  and  even  the  limbs  are  covered 
with  greaves.  Of  course  this  armor  is  arranged  dif- 
ferently in  the  different  specie^,  and  there   is   more 


204      THE  TATOTJ-POTOU  AND  THE  DEER  CARCASS. 

or  less  hair  upon  all  between  the  joinings  of  the 
plates. 

These  points  were  not  touched  upon  by  Guapo,  but 
others  of  equal  interest  were.  He  went  on  to  say 
ihat  he  knew  many  different  kinds  of  them  ;  some 
.not  bigger  than  a  rat,  and  some  as  large  as  a  full- 
grown  sheep  ;  some  that  were  slow  in  their  paces, 
and  others  that  could  outrun  a  man  ;  some  that  were 
flat  and  could  squat  so  close  as  hardly  to  be  seen 
against  the  ground, —  (these  were  tatou-poyous,  the 
sort  that  had  hollowed  out  the  deer,) —  and  some  agaii> 
that  were  highbacked  and  nearly  globe  shaped.  Such 
was  Guapo's  account  of  these  curious  animals,  which 
are  found  only  in  the  warmer  regions  of  North  and 
South  America. 


AN    ARMADILLO    HUNT.  205 


CHAPTER   ATIV- 
AN ARMADILLO  HUNT. 

Conversing  in  this  way,  the  bark  hunters  at 
length  reached  the  cinchona  trees,  and  then  all  talk 
about  armadillos  was  at  an  end.  They  went  lustily 
to  their  work,  —  which  was  of  more  importance,  — 
and,  under  Guapo's  axe,  several  of  the  cinchonas 
soon  "  bit  the  dust." 

There  was  a  spot  of  open  ground  just  a  little  to 
one  side  of  where  these  trees  stood.  They  had 
noticed,  on  coming  up,  a  flock  of  zamuros,  or  black 
vultures,  out  upon  this  ground,  clustered  around  some 
object.  It  was  the  carcass  of  another  deer.  The 
first  blow  of  the  axe  startled  the  birds,  and  they 
flapped  a  short  way  off.  They  soon  returned,  how- 
ever, not  being  shy  birds,  but  the  contrary. 

There  was  nothing  in  all  this  to  create  surprise, 
except,  perhaps,  the  dead  deer.  What  had  been 
killing  these  animals  ?  Not  a  beast  of  prey,  for  that 
would  have  devoured  them ;  unless,  indeed,  it  might 
be  the  puma,  that  often  kills  more  than  he  can  eat. 

The  thought  had  occurred  to  Don  Pablo  that  they 
might  have  died  from  the  poisoned  arrows  of  an  In- 
dian. This  thought  somewhat  disquieted  him ;  for  he 
knew  not  what  kind  of  Indians  they  might  be  —  they 
might  be  frier dly  or  hostile  ;  if  the  latter,  not  only 


206  AN    ARMADILLO    HUNT. 

would  all  his  plans  be  frustrated,  but  the  lives  of  him 
■elf  and  party  would  be  in  danger.  Guapo  could 
*aot  assure  him  on  this  head  ;  he  had  been  so  long 
absent  from  the  Great  Montana  that  he  was  ignorant 
of  the  places  where  the  tribes  of  these  parts  might 
now  be  located.  These  tribes  often  change  their 
homes.  He  knew  that  the  Chunchos  sometirne9 
roamed  so  far  up,  and  they  were  the  most  dangerous 
of  all  the  Indians  of  the  Montana  —  haters  of  the 
whites,  fierce  and  revengeful.  It  was  they  who  sev- 
eral times  destroyed  the  settlements  and  mission  sta- 
tions. If  Chunchos  were  in  the  woods  they  might 
ook  out  for  trouble.  Guapo  did  not  think  there  were 
any  Indians  near.  He  would  have  seen  some  traces 
of  them  before  now ;  and  he  had  observed  none  since 
their  arrival.  This  assurance  of  the  knowing  Indian 
quite  restored  Don  Pablo's  confidence,  and  they  talked 
no  longer  on  the  subject.  After  a  while  their  atten- 
tion was  again  called  to  the  vultures.  These  filthy 
creatures  had  returned  to  the  deer,  and  were  busily 
gorging  themselves,  when  all  at  once  they  were  seen 
to  rise  up  as  if  affrighted.  They  did  not  fly  far,  — 
only  a  few  feet,  —  and  stood  with  outstretched  necks 
looking  towards  the  carrion,  as  if  whatever  had 
frightened  them  was  there. 

The  bark  hunters  could  perceive  nothing.  It  was 
the  body  of  a  small  deer,  already  half  eaten,  and  no 
object  bigger  than  a  man's  hand  could  have  been 
joncealed  behind  it.  The  zamuros,  however,  had 
seen  something  strange,  else  they  would  hardly  havo 
acted  as  they  did  ;  and,  with  this  conviction,  the  bark 
hunters  stopped  their  work  to  observe  them. 


AN    ARMADILLO    HUNT.  207 

After  a  while  the  birds  seemed  to  take  fresh  cour- 
age, hopped  back  to  the  carrion,  and  recommenced 
tearing  at  it.  In  another  moment  they  again  started 
and  flew  back,  but  this  time  not  so  far  as  before  ;  and 
then  they  all  returned  again,  and,  after  feeding  an- 
other short  while,  started  back  a  third  time. 

This  was-  all  very  mysterious  ;  but  Guapo,  guessing 
what  was  the  matter,  solved  the  mystery  by  crying 
out,  — 

"  Tatou-poyou  !  " 

"  Where  ?  "  inquired  Don  Pablo. 

"Yonder,  master — yonder,  in  the  body  of  the 
beast." 

Don  Pablo  looked  ;  and,  sure  enough,  he  could  see 
something  moving  ;  it  was  the  head  and  shoulders  of 
an  armadillo.  It  had  burrowed  and  come  up  through 
the  body  of  the  deer,  thus  meeting  the  vultures  half 
way.  No  doubt  it  was  the  mysterious  mode  by  which 
it  had  entered  on  the  stage  that  had  frightened  them. 

They  soon,  however,  got  over  their  affright,  and 
returned  to  their  repast. 

The  armadillo  —  a  very  large  one  —  had,  by  this 
time,  crept  out  into  the  open  air,  and  went  on  eating. 

For  a  while  the  zamuros  took  no  heed  of  him, 
deeming,  perhaps,  that,  although  he  had  come  in  by 
the  back  door,  he  might  have  as  good  a  right  upon 
the  premises  as  themselves.  Their  pacific  attitude, 
however,  was  but  of  short  duration  ;  something  oc- 
curred to  ruffle  their  temper — some  silent  affront 
no  doubt  ;  for  the  bark  hunters  heard  nothing. 
Perhaps  the  tatou  had  run  against  the  legs  of  one 
and  scraped  it  with  the  sharp  edge  of  his  corselet. 


208  AN    ARMADILLO    HUNT. 

Whether  this  was  the  cause  or  no,  a  scuffle  com* 
menced,  and  the  beast  in  armor  was  attacked  by  aU 
the  vultures  at  once. 

Of  course  he  did  not  attack  in  turn ;  he  had  no 
means  ;  he  acted  altogether  on  the  defensive  ;  and 
this  he  was  enabled  to  do  by  simply  drawing  in  his 
egs  and  flattening  himself  upon  the  ground.  He 
was  then  proof,  not  only  against  the  beaks  and  weak 
alons  of  a  vulture,  but  he  might  have  defied  the 
oyal  eagle  himself. 

After  flapping  him  with  their  wings,  and  pecking 
lim  with  their  filthy  beaks,  and  clawing  him  with 
.heir  talons,  the  zamuros  saw  it  was  all  to  no  purpose, 
and  desisted.  If  they  could  not  damage  him,  how- 
ever, they  could  prevent  him  from  eating  any  more 
of  the  deer  ;  for  the  moment  he  stretched  out  his 
neck  several  vultures  sprang  at  him  afresh,  and 
would  have  wounded  him  in  the  tender  parts  of  his 
throat  had  he  not  quickly  drawn  in  his  head  again. 
Seeing  that  his  feast  was  at  an  end,  —  at  least  above 
ground,  —  he  suddenly  raised  his  hind  quarters,  and 
;n  a  brace  of  seconds  buried  himself  in  the  earth. 
The  vultures  pecked  him  behind  as  he  disappeared  ; 
out  the  odd  manner  of  his  exit,  like  that  of  his  entree, 
■ieemed  to  mystify  them,  and  several  of  them  stood 
for  some  moments  in  neck-stretched  wonder. 

This  scene  had  scarcely  ended  when  a  pair  of 
fresh  armadillos  were  espied  coming  from  the  farther 
edge  of  the  opening,  and,  in  fact,  from  the  edge  of  a 
precipice  ;  for  the  river  flowed  close  by,  and  its  chan- 
nel was  at  that  point  shut  in  by  cliffs.  These  two 
were  large  fellows,  and  were  making  speedily  towards 


"  AN   ARMADILLO    HUNT.  209 

the  carrion,  in  order  to  get  up  before  it  was  all  gone. 
Guapo  could  stand  it  no  longer.  Guapo  had  tasted 
roast  armadillo,  and  longed  for  more.  In  an  instant, 
therefore,  axe  in  hand,  he  was  off  to  intercept  the 
new  comers.  Don  Pablo  and  Leon  followed  to  see 
the  sport  and  assist  in  the  capture. 

The  armadillos,  although  not  afraid  of  the  vultures, 
seeing  the  hunters  approach,  turned  tail  and  made 
for  the  precipice.  Guapo  took  after  one,  while  Don 
Pao.o  and  Leon  pursued  the  other.  Guapo  soon  over- 
hauled his  one  ;  but,  before  he  could  lay  his  hands 
upon  it,  it  had  already  half  buried  itself  in  the  dry 
ground.  Guapo,  however,  seized  the  tail  and  held 
on ;  and,  although  not  able  to  drag  it  out,  he  was 
resolved  it  should  get  no  deeper. 

The  one  pursued  by  Don  Pablo  had  got  close  to 
the  edge  of  the  precipice  before  either  he  or  Leon 
could  come  up  with  it.  There  it  stood  for  a  moment, 
as  if  in  doubt  what  plan  to  pursue.  Don  Pablo  and 
Leon  were  congratulating  themselves  that  they  had 
fairly  "  cornered  "  it ;  for  the  cliff  was  a  clear  fall  of 
fifty  feet,  and,  of  course,  it  could  get  no  farther  in 
that  direction,  while  they  approached  it  from  two 
sides  so  as  to  cut  off  its  retreat.  They  approached  it 
with  caution,  as  they  were  now  near  the  edge,  and  it 
would  not  do  to  move  too  rashly.  Both  were  bent 
forward  with  their  arms  outstretched  to  clutch  their 
prey ;  they  felt  confident  it  was  already  in  their 
grasp.  Judge  their  astonishment,  then,  at  seeing  the 
creature  suddenly  clew  itself  into  a  round  ball  and 
ro»l  over  the  cliff! 

They  looked  below  ;  they  saw  it  upon  the  ground 
14 


210  AN   ARMADILLO    HUNT.* 

they  saw  it  open  out  again,  apparently  unharmed  ;  fof 
the  next  moment  it  scuttled  off  and  hid  itself  among 
the  rocks  by  the  edge  of  the  water. 

They  turned  towards  Guapo,  who  was  still  holding 
his  one  by  the  tail  and  calling  for  help.  Although  it 
was  but  half  buried,  all  three  of  them  couM  not  have 
dragged  it  forth  by  the  tail.  That  member  would 
have  pulled  out  before  the  animal  could  have  been 
dislodged  ;  and  such  is  not  an  unfrequent  occurrence 
\o  the  hunters  of  the  armadillo.  Don  Pablo,  however, 
took  hold  of  the  tail  and  held  fast  until  Guapo  loo- 
sened the  earth  with  his  axe,  and  then  the  creature 
was  more  easily  "  extracted."  A  blow  on  its  head 
from  Guapo  made  all  right,  and  it  was  afterwards 
carried  safely  to  the  house  and  "  roasted  in  the  shell.7' 

That  was  a  great  day  among  the  "  armadillos." 


THE    OCELOT.  211 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

THE   OCELOT. 

During  the  whole  summer,  Don  Pablo,  Guapo,  and 
Leon  continued  bark  gathering.  Every  day  they 
went  out  into  the  woods,  excepting  Sunday,  of  course. 
That  was  kept  as  a  day  of  rest ;  for,  although  far 
from  civilized  society,  there  was  not  the  less  neces- 
sity for  their  being  Christians.  God  dwells  in  the 
wilderness  as  well  as  in  the  walled  city ;  and  worship 
to  him  is  as  pleasing  under  the  shadow  of  the  forest 
leaves  as  with  sounding  organ  beneath  the  vaulted 
dome  of  the  grand  cathedral. 

Daring  week  days,  while  the  others  were  abroad, 
Doiia  Isidora  and  the  little  Leona  were  not  idle  at 
home  ;  yet  their  whole  time  was  not  taken  up  by  the 
mere  concerns  of  the  cuisine.  They  had  an  industry 
of  their  own,  and,  in  fact,  one  that  promised  to  be 
almost  as  profitable  in  its  results  as  the  bark  gather- 
ing. This  was  neither  more  nor  less  than  preparing 
vanilla. 

Some  days  after  arriving  in  the  valley,  while  ex- 
ploring a  wood  that  lay  at  the  back  of  the  cultivated 
ground,  Don  Pablo  discovered  that  every  tree  carried 
a  creeper  or  parasite  of  a  peculiar  kind.  It  was  a 
small  creeper  not  unlike  ivy,  and  was  covered  with 
flowers  of  a  greenish-yellow  color,  mixed  with  white 


212  THE    OCELOT. 

Don  Pablo  at  once  recognized  in  this  parasitical  plant 
one  of  the  many  species  of  Uianas  that  produce  the 
delicious  and  perfumed  vanilla.  It  was,  in  fact,  the 
finest  of  the  kind — that  which,  among  the  French, 
is  called  leq  vanilla ;  and,  from  the  fact  that  every 
tree  had  a  number  of  these  parasites,  and  no  other 
climbing  vines,  Don  Pablo  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  they  had  been  planted  by  the  missionaries.  It  is 
thus  that  vanilla  is  usually  cultivated,  by  being  set  in 
slips  at  the  root  of  some  tree  which  may  afterwards 
sustain  it. 

In  the  course  of  the  summer,  these  vanilla  vines  ex- 
hibited a  different  appearance.  Instead  of  flowers, 
long,  beanlike  capsules  made  their  appearance. 
These  capsules,  or  pods,  were  nearly  a  foot  in  length, 
though  not  much  thicker  than  a  swan's  quill.  They 
were  a  little  flattish,  wrinkled,  and  of  a  yellow  color, 
and  contained  inside,  instead  of  beans,  a  pulpy  sub- 
stance, surrounding  a  vast  quantity  of  small  seeds, 
like  grains  of  sand.  These  seeds  are  the  perfumed 
vanilla  so  much  prized,  and  which  often  yield  the 
enormous  price  of  fifty  dollars  a  pound.  To  pre*, 
serve  these,  therefore,  was  the  work  of  Dona  Isidora 
and  Leona  ;  and  they  understood  perfectly  how  to 
do  it. 

First,  they  gathered  the  pods  before  they  were 
quite  ripe.  These  they  strung  upon  a  thread,  taking 
care  to  pass  the  thread  through  that  end  nearest  the 
foot  stalk.  The  whole  were  next  plunged  for  an  in- 
stant into  boiling  water,  which  gave  them  a  blanched 
appearance.  The  thread  was  then  stretched  from 
tree  to  tree  ;  and  the  pods,  hanging  like  a  string  of 


THE    OCELOT.  213 

candles,  were  then  exposed  to  the  sun  for  several 
hours.  Next  day  they  were  lightly  smeared  with  an 
oiled  feather,  and  then  wrapped  in  oiled  cotton  of  the 
Borrtbax  ceiba  to  prevent  the  valves  from  opening. 
When  they  had  remained  in  this  state  for  a  few  days 
the  string  was  taken  out  and  passed  through  the  other 
ends,  so  that  they  should  hang  in  an  inverted  position. 
This  was  to  permit  the  discharge  of  a  viscid  liquid 
from  the  foot  stalk  end  ;  and,  in  order  to  assist  this  dis- 
charge, the  pods  were  several  times  lightly  pressed 
between  the  fingers.  They  now  became  dry  and 
wrinkled.  They  had  also  shrunk  to  less  than  half 
their  original  size,  and  changed  their  color  to  a  red- 
dish brown.  Another  delicate  touch  of  the  oil  feather 
and  the  vanilla  was  ready  for  the  market.  Nothing 
remained  but  to  pack  them  in  small  cases,  which 
had  already  been  prepared  from  the  leaf  of  a  species 
of  palm  tree. 

In  such  a  way  did  the  lady  Isidora  and  her  daugh- 
ter pass  their  time  ;  and  before  the  summer  was  out 
they  had  added  largely  to  the  stock  of  wealth  of  our 
exiles. 

Although  these  two  always  remained  by  the  house, 
they  were  not  without  their  adventures  as  well,  one  of 
which  I  shall  describe.  It  occurred  while  they  were 
getting  in  their  crop  of  vanilla.  Leona  was  in  the 
perch  in  front,  busy  among  the  vanilla  beans.  She 
had  a  large  needle  and  a  thread  of  palm-leaf  fibre, 
with  which  she  was  stringing  the  long  pods,  while  her 
mother  was  inside  the  house  packing  some  that  had 
been  already  dried. 


214  THE    OCELOT. 

Leona  rested  for  a  moment,  and  was  looking  over 
the  water,  when  all  at  once  she  exclaimed, — 

"  Maman  —  Maman  !  come  out  and  see  !  O,  what 
a  beautiful  cat !  " 

The  exclamation  caused  Dona  Isidora  to  start,  and 
with  a  feeling  of  uneasiness.  The  cause  of  her  un- 
easiness was  the  word  "  cat."  She  feared  that  what 
the  innocent  child  had  taken  for  a  "  beautiful  cat  " 
might  prove  to  be  the  dreaded  jaguar.  She  ran  at 
once  out  of  the  door,  and  looked  in  the  direction 
pointed  out  by  Leona.  There,  sure  enough,  on  the 
other  side  of  "the  water,  was  a  spotted  creature,  look- 
ing in  the  distance  very  much  like  a  cat ;  but  Dona 
Isidora  saw  at  a  glance  that  it  was  a  far  larger  animal. 
Was  it  the  jaguar  ?  It  was  like  one  in  its  color  and 
markings.  It  was  of  a  yellowish  color,  and  covered 
all  over  with  black  spots,  which  gave  it  the  semblance 
of  the  jaguar.  Still  Dona  Isidora  thought  that  it  was 
not  so  large  as  these  animals  usually  are ;  and  this, 
to  some  extent,  restored  her  confidence.  When  first 
seen,  it  was  close  down  to  the  water's  edge,  as  if  it 
had  come  there  to  drink  ;  and  Dona  Isidora  was  in 
hopes  that,  after  satisfying  its  thirst,  it  would  go  away 
again.  What  was  her  consternation  to  see  it  make  a 
forward  spring,  and,  plunging  into  the  water,  swim 
directly  for  the  house  ! 

Terrified,  she  seized  Leona  by  the  hand  and 
retreated  inside.  She  shut  the  door  and  bolted  it. 
If  it  were  a  jaguar,  what  protection  would  that  be  ? 
Such  a  creature  could  dash  itself  through  the  frail 
bamboo  wall,  or  tear  the  door  to  pieces  with  his  great 


THE    OCELOT.  215 

claws  in  a  moment.  "  If  it  be  a  jaguar,"  thought 
she,  "  we  are  lost !  " 

Dona  Isidora  was  a  woman  of  courage.  She  was 
determined  to  defend  the  lives  of  herself  and  daugh- 
ter to  the  last.  She  looked  around  the  house  for  a 
weapon.  The  pistols  of  Don  Pablo  were  hanging 
against  the  wall.  She  knew  they  were  loaded.  She 
took  them  down  and  looked  at  the  flints  and  priming, 
and  then  stationed  herself  at  a  place  where  she  could 
see  out  through  the  interstices  of  the  bamboos.  The 
little  Leona  kept  by  her  side,  though  she  knew  that 
in  a  struggle  with  a  ferocious  jaguar  she  could  give 
no  help. 

By  this  time  the  animal  had  crossed  the  river,  and 
she  could  see  it  spring  out  on  the  bank  and  come  on 
towards  the  house.  In  a  few  seconds  it  was  close  to 
the  porch,  where  it  halted  to  reconnoitre.  Dona  Isi- 
dora saw  it  very  plainly,  and  would  now  have  had  a 
very  good  chance  to  fire  at  it ;  but  she  did  not  wish 
to  begin  the  combat.  Perhaps  it  might  go  away 
again,  without  attempting  to  enter  the  house.  In 
order  not  to  draw  its  attention,  she  stood  perfectly 
quiet,  having  cautioned  Leona  to  do  the  same. 

It  was  not  a  large  animal,  though  its  aspect  was 
fierce  enough  to  terrify  any  one.  Its  tiger-like  eyes 
and  white  teeth,  which  it  showed  at  intervals,  were 
any  thing  but  pleasant  to  look  upon.  Its  size,  how- 
ever, was  not  so  formidable  ;  and  Dona  Isidora  had 
understood  the  jaguar  to  be  a  large  animal ;  but  there 
is  also  a  smaller  species  of  jaguar.  This  might  be 
the  one. 

After  halting  a  moment,  the  creature  turned  to  one 


216  THE    OCELOT. 

side,  and  then  proceeded  at  a  skulking  trot  around 
the  house.  Now  and  then  it  stopped  and  looked 
towards  the  building,  as  if  searching  for  some  aper- 
ture by  which  it  might  get  in.  Dona  Isidora  followed 
it  round  on  the  inside.  The  walls  were  so  open  that 
she  could  mark  all  its  movements ;  and,  with  a  pistol 
in  each  hand,  she  was  ready  for  the  attack,  deter- 
mined to  fire  the  moment  it  might  threaten  to  spring 
against  the  bamboos. 

On  one  side  of  the  house,  at  a  few  paces  distant, 
stood  the  mule.  The  horse  had  been  taken  to  the 
woods,  and  the  mule  was  left  alone.  This  animal 
was  tied  to  a  tree,  which  shaded  her  from  the  sun. 
As  soon  as  the  fierce  creature  got  well  round  the 
house  it  came  in  full  view  of  the  mule,  which  now 
claimed  its  attention.  The  latter,  on  seeing  it,  had 
started,  and  sprung  round  upon  her  halter,  as  if  badly 
terrified  by  the  apparition. 

Whether  the  beast  of  prey  had  ever  before  seen  a 
mule  was  a  question.  Most  likely  it  had  not ;  for, 
half  innocently  and  half  as  if  with  the  intention  of 
making  an  attack,  it  went  skulking  up  until  it  was 
close  to  the  heels  of  the  latter.  It  could  not  have 
placed  itself  in  a  better  position  to  be  well  kicked , 
and  well  kicked  it  was ;  for  just  at  that  moment  the 
mule  let  fling  with  both  her  heels,  and  struck  it  upon 
the  ribs.  A  loud  "  thump "  was  heard  by  those 
within  the  house  ;  and  Dona  Isidora,  still  watching 
through  the  canes,  had  the  satisfaction  to  see  the 
spotted  creature  take  to  its  heels  and  gallop  off  as  if 
a  kettle  had  been  tied  to  its  tail.  It  made  no  stop, 
not  even  to  look  back ;  but,  having  reached  the  edge 


THE    OCELOT.  217 

of  the  water,  plunged  in  and  swam  over  to  the  oppo- 
site shore.  They  could  see  it  climb  out  on  the  other 
side  ;  and  then,  with  a  cowed  and  conquered  look,  it 
trotted  off  and  disappeared  among  the  palm  trees. 

Dona  Isidora  knew  that  it  was  gone  for  good,  and, 
having  now  no  further  fear,  went  on  with  her  work 
as  before.  She  first,  however,  carried  out  a  large 
measure  of  the  murumuru  nuts  and  gave  them  to  the 
mule,  patting  the  creature  upon  the  nose  and  thank- 
ing her  for  the  important  service  she  had  rendered. 

When  Don  Pablo  and  the  rest  returned,  the  adven- 
ture was,  of  course,  related  ;  but,  from  the  description 
given  of  the  animal,  neither  Don  Pablo  nor  Guapo 
believed  it  could  have  been  the  jaguar.  It  was  too 
small  for  that.  Besides,  a  jaguar  would  not  have 
been  cowed  and  driven  off  by  a  mule.  He  would 
more  likely  have  killed  the  mule  and  dragged  its 
body  off  with  him  across  the  river,  or  perhaps  have 
broken  into  the  house  and  done  worse. 

The  animal  was,  no  doubt,  the  "  ocelot,"  which  is 
also  spotted,  or  rather  marked,  with  the  eyelike 
rosettes  which  distinguish  the  skin  of  the  jaguar. 
Indeed  there  are  quite  a  number  of  animals  of  the 
cat  genus  in  the  forests  of  the  Montana ;  some  spotted 
like  the  leopard,  others  striped  as  the  tiger,  and  still 
others  of  uniform  color  all  over  the  body.  They  are, 
of  course,  all  preying  animals  ;  but  none  of  them  will 
attack  man  except  the  jaguar  and  the  puma.  Some 
of  the  others,  when  brought  to  bay,  will  fight  des- 
perately, as  would  the  common  wildcat  under  like 
circumstances ;  but  the  largest  of  them  will  leave 
man  alone  if  unmolested  themselves.     Not  so  with 


218  THE    OCELOT. 

the  jaguar,  who  will  attack  either  man  or  beast,  and 
put  them  to  death,  unless  he  be  himself  overpowered. 

The  jaguar,  or,  as  he  is  sometimes  called,  "  ounce,' 
(Felis  onga,)  and  by  most  Spanish  Americans  "  tiger,' 
is  the  largest  and  most  ferocious  of  all  the  American 
FelidcE.  He  stands  third  in  rank  as  to  these  qualities 
—  the  lion  and  tiger  of  the  eastern  continent  taking 
precedence  of  him.  Specimens  of  the  jaguar  have 
been  seen  equal  in  size  to  the  Asiatic  tiger ;  but  the 
average  size  of  the  American  animal  is  much  less. 
He  is  strong  enough,  however,  to  drag  a  dead  horse 
or  ox  to  his  den  —  often  to  a  distance  of  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  ;  and  this  feat  has  been  repeatedly  observed. 

The  jaguar  is  found  throughout  all  the  tropical 
countries  of  Spanish  America,  and  is  oftener  called 
tiger  (tigre)  than  jaguar.  This  is  a  misapplied  name  ; 
for  although  he  bears  a  considerable  likeness  to  the 
tiger,  both  in  shape  and  habits,  yet  the  markings  of 
his  skin  are  quite  different.  The  tiger  is  striated,  or 
striped,  while  the  black  on  the  jaguar  is  in  beautiful 
eyelike  rosettes.  The  leopard  is  more  like  the  jaguar 
than  any  other  creature  ;  and  the  panther  and  chee- 
tah of  the  eastern  continent  also  resemble  him.  Thr 
markings  of  the  jaguar,  when  closely  examined,  dif- 
fer from  all  of  these.  The  spots  on  the  animals  of 
the  old  world  are  simple  spots,  or  black  rings  ;  whi'^ 
those  of  the  American  species  are  rings  with  a  single 
spot  in  the  middle,  forming  ocellce,  or  eyes.  Each, 
in  fact,  resembles  a  rosette. 

Jaguars  are  not  always  of  the  same  color.  Some 
have  skins  of  an  orange  yellow,  and  these  are  the 
most  beautiful.    Others  are  lighter  colored  ;  and  indi- 


THE    OCELOT.  219 

viduals  have  been  killed  that  were  nearly  white.  But 
there  is  a  "  black  jaguar,"  which  is  thought  to  be  of 
a  different  species.  It  is  larger  and  fiercer  than  the 
other,  and  is  found  in  the  very  hottest  parts  of  the 
Great  Montana.  Its  skin  is  not  quite  jet  black,  but 
of  a  deep  maroon  brown  ;  and,  upon  close  inspection, 
the  spots  upon  it  can  be  seen  of  a  pure  black.  This 
species  is  more  dreaded  by  the  inhabitants  of  those 
countries  than  the  other;  and  it  is  said  always  to 
attack  man  wherever  it  may  encounter  him. 

In  the  forests  of  South  America  the  jaguar  reigns 
with  undisputed  sway.  All  the  other  beasts  fear  and 
fly  from  him.  His  roar  produces  terror  and  confu- 
sion among  the  animated  creation,  and  causes  them 
to  fly  in  every  direction.  It  is  never  heard  by  the 
Indian  without  some  feeling  of  fear ;  and  no  wonder ; 
for  a  year  does  not  pass  without  a  number  of  these 
people  falling  victims  to  the  savage  ferocity  of  this 
animal. 

There  are  those,  however,  among  them  who  can 
deal  single  handed  with  the  jaguar,  —  regular  "jaguar 
hunters"  by  profession,  —  who  do  not  fear  to  attack 
the  fierce  brute  in  his  own  haunts.  They  do  not 
trust  to  firearms,  but  to  a  sharp  spear.  Upon  this 
\hey  receive  his  attack,  transfixing  the  anima.1  with 
unerring  aim  as  he  advances.  Should  they  fail  in 
their  first  thrust,  their  situation  is  one  of  peril ;  yet 
all  hope  is  not  lost.  On  their  left  arm  they  carry  a 
sort  of  sheepskin  shield.  This  is  held  forward,  and 
usually  seized  by  the  jaguar ;  and  while  he  is  busy 
with  it  the  hunter  gains  time  for  a  second  effort,  which 
rarely  fails  to  accomplish  his  purpose. 


220  THE    OCELOT. 

The  jaguars  are  killed  for  many  reasons.  Their 
beautiful  skins  sell  for  several  dollars ;  besides,  in 
many  places  a  price  is  set  upon  their  heads,  on 
account  of  their  destructive  habits.  Thousands  are 
destroyed  every  year.  For  all  this,  they  do  not  seem 
to  diminish  in  numbers.  The  introduction  of  the 
large  mammalia  into  America  has  provided  them  with 
increased  resources  ;  and  in  many  places,  where  there 
are  herds  of  half-wild  cattle,  the  number  of  the 
jaguars  is  said  to  be  greater  than  formerly.  It  is 
difficult  for  one  living  in  a  country  where  such  fierce 
animals  are  unknown  to  believe  that  they  may  have 
an  influence  over  man  to  such  an  extent  as  to  prevent 
his  settling  in  a  particular  place  ;  yet  such  is  the  fact. 
In  many  parts  of  South  America,  not  only  planta- 
tions, but  whole  villages,  have  been  abandoned  solelv 
from  fear  of  the  jaguars. 


A    FAMILY    OF    JAGUARS.  221 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 
A  FAMILY  OF  JAGUARS. 

As  yet  none  of  the  exiles  had  seen  any  tracks  or 
indications  of  the  terrible  jaguar,  and  Don  Pablo 
began  to  believe  that  there  were  none  in  that  district 
of  country.  He  was  not  allowed  to  remain  much 
longer  in  this  belief,  for  an  incident  occurred  shortly 
after  proving  that  at  least  one  pair  of  these  fierce 
animals  was  not  far  off. 

It  was  near  the  end  of  the  summer,  and  the  cin- 
chona trees  on  the  side  of  the  river  on  which  stood 
the  house  had  been  all  cut  down  and  "  barked."  It 
became  necessary,  therefore,  to  cross  the  stream  in 
search  of  others.  Indeed,  numerous  "  manchas " 
had  been  seen  on  the  other  side,  and  to  these  the 
"  cascarilleros  "  now  turned  their  attention.  They, 
of  course,  reached  them  by  crossing  the  tree  bridge, 
and  then  keeping  up  the  stream  on  the  farther  side. 

For  several  days  they  had  been  at  work  in  this 
new  direction,  and  were  getting  bark  in  by  the  hun- 
dred weight. 

One  day  Guapo  and  Leon  had  gone  by  themselves 
—  Guapo  to  fell  the  trees  as  usual,  and  Leon,  who 
was  now  an  expert  bark  peeler,  to  use  the  scalping 
knife.     Don  Pablo  had  remained  at  home,  busy  with 


222  A   FAMILY    OF    JAGUARS. 

work  in  the  great  magazine,  for  there  was  much  to 
do  there  in  the  packing  and  storing. 

An  hour  or  two  after  Guapo  was  seen  to  return 
alone.  He  had  broken  the  handle  of  his  axe,  and, 
having  several  spare  .ones  at  the  house,  he  had  re- 
turned to  get  one.     Leon  had  remained  in  the  woods. 

Now,  Leon  had  finished  his  operations  on  such 
trees  as  Guapo  had  already  cut  down,  and,  not  find- 
ing a  good  seat  near,  had  walked  towards  the  preci- 
pice which  was  farther  up  the  hill,  and  sat  down  upon 
one  of  the  loose  rocks  at  its  base.  Here  he  amused 
himself  by  watching  the  parrots  and  toucans  that 
were  fluttering  through  the  trees  over  his  head. 

He  noticed  that  just  by  his  side  there  was  a  large 
hole  or  cave  in  the  cliff.  He  could  see  to  the  farther 
end  of  it  from  where  he  sat ;  but  curiosity  prompted 
him  to  step  up  to  its  mouth,  and  give  it  a  closer  ex- 
amination. On  doing  so,  he  heard  a  noise  not  unlike 
the  mew  of  a  cat.  It  evidently  came  from  the  cave, 
and  only  increased  his  curiosity  to  look  inside.  He 
put  his  head  to  the  entrance,  and  there,  in  a  sort  of 
nest  upon  the  bottom  of  the  cave,  he  perceived  two 
creatures,  exactly  like  two  spotted  kittens,  only  larger. 
They  were  about  half  as  big  as  fullgrown  cats. 

M  Two  beauties,"  said  Leon  to  himself;  u  they  are 
the  kittens  of  some  wild  cat  —  that's  plain.  Now,  we 
want  a  cat  very  much  at  home.  If  these  were  brought 
up  in  the  house,  why  shouldn't  they  do  ?  I'll  warrant 
they'd  be  tame  enough.  I  know  mamma  wants  a  cat. 
I've  heard  her  say  so.  I'll  give  her  an  agreeable 
surprise  by  taking  this  pair  home.     The  beauties  ! " 


A    FAMILY    OF    JAGUARS.  223 

Without  another  word  Leon  climbed  up,  and,  taking 
hold  of  the  two  spotted  animals,  returned  with  them 
out  of  the  cave.  They  were  evidently  very  young 
creatures,  yet  for  all  that  they  growled,  and  spat,  and 
attempted  to  scratch  his  hands.  But  Leon  was  not  a 
boy  to  be  frightened  at  trifles  ;  and,  after  getting  one 
under  each  arm,  he  set  off  in  triumph,  intending  to 
carry  them  direct  to  the  house. 

Guapo  was  in  front  of  the  house,  busy  in  new  haft- 
ing  his  axe.  Don  Pablo  was  at  work  in  the  store 
room.  Dona  Isidora  and  the  little  Leona  were  occu- 
pied with  some  affair  in  the  porch.  All  were  engaged 
one  way  or  other.  Just  then  a  voice  sounded  upon 
their  ears,  causing  them  all  to  stop  their  work  and 
look  abroad.  It  even  brought  Don  Pablo  out  of  the 
storehouse.  It  was  the  voice  of  Leon,  who  shouted 
from  the  other  side  of  the  lake,  where  they  all  saw 
him  standing,  with  a  strange  object  under  each  arm. 

"  Hola  !  "  cried  he.  "  Look,  mamma  !  See  what 
I've  got !  I've  brought  you  a  couple  of  cats  —  beau- 
ties, ain't  they  ?  "  And  as  he  said  this,  he  held  the 
two  yellow  bodies  out  before  him. 

Don  Pablo  turned  pale,  and  even  the  coppery  cheek 
of  Guapo  blanched  at  the  sight.  Though  at  some 
distance,  both  knew  at  a  glance  what  they  were. 
Cats,  indeed  !      They  were  the  ciibs  of  the  jaguar  ! 

•i  My  God  !  "  cried  Don  Pablo,  hoarse  with  affright. 
"  My  God  !  the  boy  will  be  lost !  "  and  as  he  spoke 
he  swept  the  upper  edge  of  the  lake  with  an  anxious 
glance. 

14  11  ;n,  little  master  \  "  shouted  Guapo.  "  Run  for 
your  life  ;  make  for  the  bridge  —  for  the  bridge  !  " 


224  A    FAMILY    OF    J  1GUARS. 

Leon  seemed  astonished.  He  knew  by  the  words 
of  Guapo,  and  the  earnest  gestures  of  the  rest,  that 
there  was  some  danger  —  but  of  what  ?  Why  was 
he  to  run  ?  He  could  not  comprehend  it.  He  hesi- 
tated, and  might  have  staid  longer  on  the  spot,  had 
not  his  father,  seeing  his  indecision,  shouted  out  to 
him  in  a  loud  voice,  — 

"  Run,  boy,  run  !     The  jaguars  are  after  you  !  " 

This  speech  enabled  Leon  to  comprehend  his  situ- 
ation for  the  first  time ;  and  he  immediately  started 
off  towards  the  bridge,  running  as  fast  as  he  wis  able. 

Don  Pablo  had  not  seen  the  jaguars  when  he  spoke  ; 
but  his  words  were  prophetic,  and  that  prophecy  was 
speedily  verified.  They  had  hardly  been  uttered 
when  two  yellow  bodies,  dashing  out  of  the  brush- 
wood, appeared  near  the  upper  end  of  the  lake. 
There  was  no  mistaking  what  they  were.  Their 
orange  flanks  and  ocellated  sides  were  sufficiently 
characteristic.      They  were  jaguars  ! 

A  few  springs  brought  them  to  the  edge  of  the 
water,  and  they  were  seen  to  take  the  track  over 
which  Leon  had  just  passed.  They  were  following 
by  the  scent, —  sometimes  pausing,  sometimes  one 
passing  the  other,  —  and  their  waving  tails  and  quick 
energetic  movements  showed  that  they  were  furious 
and  excited  to  the  highest  degree.  Now  they  dis- 
appeared behind  the  palm  trunks,  and  the  next  mo- 
ment their  shining  bodies  shot  out  again  like  flashes 
of  light. 

Dona  Isidora  and  the  little  Leona  screamed  with 
affright.  Don  Pablo  shouted  words  of  encourage* 
ment  in  a  hoarse  voice.     Guapo  seized  his  axe  — 


A   FAMILY    OF        GUARS.  225 

which  fortunately  he  had  finished  hafting  —  and  ran 
towards  the  bridge,  along  the  water's  edge.  Don 
Pablo  followed  with  his  pistols,  which  he  had  hastily 
got  his  hands  upon. 

For  a  short  moment  there  was  silence  on  both  sides 
of  the  river.  Guapo  was  opposite  Leon,  both  run- 
ning. The  stream  narrowed  as  it  approached  tho 
ravine,  and  Leon  and  Guapo  could  see  each  other, 
and  hear  every  word  distinctly.  Guapo  now  cried 
out,  — 

"  Drop  one  !  young  master  —  only  one  !  " 

Leon  heard,  and,  being  a  sharp  boy,  understood 
what  was  meant.  Up  to  this  moment  he  had  not 
thought  of  parting  with  his  "  cats  "  —  in  fact,  it  was 
because  he  had  not  thought  of  it.  Now,  however, 
at  the  voice  of  Guapo,  he  flung  one  of  them  to  the 
ground,  without  stopping  to  see  where  it  fell.  He 
ran  on,  and  in  a  few  seconds  again  heard  Guapo  cry 
out, — 

"  Now  the  other  !  " 

Leon  let  the  second  slip  from  his  grasp,  and  kept 
an  for  the  bridge. 

It  rvas  well  he  had  dropped  the  cubs,  else  he  would 
nev  r  have  reached  that  bridge.  When  the  first  one 
fell  the  jaguars  were  not  twenty  paces  behind  him. 
They  were  almost  in  sight,  but  by  good  fortune  the 
weeds  and  underwood  hid  the  pursued  from  the  pur- 
suers. 

On  reaching  their  young,  the  first  that  had  been 

dropped,  both   stopped,  and   appeared   to   lick   and 

caress  it.     They  remained  by  it  but  a  moment.     One 

parted  sooner  than  the  other  —  the  female  it  was,  ro 

15 


^26  A    FAMILY    OF    JAGUARS. 

doubt,  in  search  of  her  second  offspring.  Shortly 
after  the  other  started  also,  and  both  were  again  seen 
springing  along  the  trail  in  pursuit.  A  few  stretches 
brought  them  to  where  the  second  cub  lay ;  and  here 
they  again  halted,  caressing  this  one  as  they  had 
done  the  other. 

Don  Pablo  and  Dona  Tsidora,  who  saw  all  this  from 
the  other  side,  were  in  hopes  that,  having  recovered 
their  young,  the  jaguars  might  give  over  the  chase, 
and  carry  them  off.  But  they  were  mistaken  in  this. 
The  American  tiger  is  of  a  very  different  nature. 
Once  enraged,  he  will  seek  revenge  with  relentless 
pertinacity.  It  so  proved.  After  delaying  a  moment 
with  the  second  cub,  both  left  it,  and  sprang  forward 
upon  the  trail,  which  they  knew  had  been  taken  by 
whoever  had  robbed  them. 

By  this  time  Leon  had  gained  the  bridge  —  had 
crossed  it  —  and  was  lifted  from  its  nearer  end  by 
Guapo.  The  latter  scarce  spoke  a  word  —  only  tell- 
ing Leon  to  hurry  towards  the  house.  For  himself  he 
had  other  work  to  do  than  run.  The  bridge  he  knew 
would  be  no  protection.  The  jaguars  would  cross 
over  it  like  squirrels,  and  then 

Guapo  reflected  no  further,  but,  bending  over  the 
thick  branch,  attacked  it  with  his  axe.  His  design 
was  apparent  at  once.  He  was  going  to  cut  it  from 
the  cliff. 

He  plied  the  axe  with  all  his  might.  Every  mus- 
cle in  his  body  was  at  play.  Blow  succeeded  blow. 
The  branch  was  already  creaking,  when,  to  his  hor- 
ror, the  foremost  of  the  jaguars  appeared  in  sight  on 
the  opposite  side.     He  was  not  discouraged.     Again 


A    FAMILY    (Jt    JAGUARS.  227 

fell  the  axe  —  again  and  again  ;  the  jaguar  is  upon 
the  bank  ;  it  has  sprung  upon  the  root  of  the  tree  \ 
£,  pauses  a  moment  —  another  blow  of  the  axe — 
the  jaguar  bounds  upon  the  trunk  —  its  claws  rattle 
along  the  bark  —  it  is  midway  over  the  chasm  < 
Another  blow  —  the  branch  crackles  —  there  is  a 
crash  —  it  parts  from  the  cliff —  it  is  gone  !  Both 
tree  and  jaguar  gone  —  down  —  down  to  the  sharp 
rocks  of  the  foaming  torrent ! 

A  loud  yell  from  the  Indian  announced  his  triumph. 
But  it  was  not  yet  complete.    It  was  the  female  jaguar 

—  the  smaller  one  —  that  had  fallen.  The  male  ski» 
remained — where  was  he?  Already  upon  the  op- 
posite brink  of  the  chasm  ! 

He  had  dashed  forward  just  in  time  to  see  his  mate 
disappearing  into  the  gulf  below.  He  saw  and  seemed 
to  comprehend  all  that  had  passed.  His  eyes  glared 
with  redoubled  fury.  There  was  vengeance  in  his 
look,  and  determination  in  his  attitude. 

For  a  moment  he  surveyed  the  wide  gulf  that  sep- 
arated him  from  his  enemies.  He  seemed  to  measure 
tl>  2  distance  at  a  glance.  His  heart  was  bold  with 
raj;e  and  despair.  He  had  lost  his  companion  —  his 
faithful  partner  —  his  wife.     Life  was  nothing  now 

—  he  resolved  upon  revenge  or  death  ! 

He  was  seen  to  run  a  few  paces  back  from  the 
edge  of  the  chasm,  and  then,  turning  suddenly,  set 
his  body  for  the  spring. 

It  would  have  been  beautiful  to  have  beheld  the 
play  of  his  glistening  flanks  at  that  moment,  had  one 
been  out  of  danger  ;  but  Guapo  was  not,  and  he  had 


228  A   FAMILY    OF   JAGUARS. 

no  pleasure  in  the  sight.     Guapo  stood  upon  the  op* 
posite  brink,  axe  in  hand,  ready  to  receive  him. 

The  Indian  had  not  long  to  wait.  With  one  des- 
perate bound  the  jaguar  launched  his  body  into  the 
air,  and,  like  lightning,  passed  to  the  opposite  bank. 
His  fore  feet  only  reached  it,  and  his  claws  firmlj 
grasped  the  rock.  The  rest  of  his  body  hung  over 
clutching  the  cliff. 

In  a  moment  he  would  have  sprung  up,  and  then 
woe  to  his  antagonist !  But  he  was  not  allowed  that 
moment,  for  he  had  scarcely  touched  the  rock  when 
the  Indian  leaped  forward  and  struck  at  his  head  with 
the  axe.  The  blow  was  not  well  aimed,  and  although 
it  stunned  the  jaguar,  he  still  clung  to  the  cliff.  In 
setting  himself  for  a  second  blow,  Guapo  came  too 
near,  and  the  next  moment  the  great  claws  of  the 
tiger  were  buried  in  his  foot. 

It  is  difficult  to  tell  what  might  have  been  the  result. 
It  would,  no  doubt,  have  been  different.  Guapo  would 
have  been  dragged  over,  and  that  was  certain  death  : 
but  at  this  moment  a  hand  was  protruded  between 
Guapo's  legs  —  the  muzzle  of  a  pistol  was  seen  close 
to  the  head  of  the  jaguar  —  a  loud  crack  ran  through 
the  ravine,  and  when  the  smoke  cleared  away  the 
iaguar  was  seen  no  more  ! 

Guapo,  with  his  foot  badly  lacerated,  was  drawn 
back  from  the  cliff  into  the  arms  of  Don  Pablo. 


THE    RAFT.  229 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 
THE  RAFT. 

Tnis  was  the  most  exciting  day  that  had  been 
passed  since  their  arrival  in  the  Montana  ;  and,  con- 
sidering the  result,  it  was  well  that  the  occurrence 
*id  taken  place.  It  had  rid  them  of  a  pair  of  bad 
>,3ighbors  —  there  would  soon  have  been  four — that 
some  time  or  other  would  have  endangered  the  lives 
of  some  of  the  party.  It  was  the  opinion  of  Guapo 
that  they  need  not,  at  least  for  a  while,  have  any  fear 
of  jaguars.  It  was  not  likely  there  was  another  pair 
in  that  district ;  although,  from  the  roaming  disposi- 
tion of  this  animal,  fresh  ones  might  soon  make 
their  appearance  ;  and  it  was  deemed  best  always 
to  act  as  though  some  were  already  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. 

The  cubs  were  disposed  of.  It  was  not  deemed 
advisable  to  bring  them  up  as  "  cats."  After  what 
had  occurred,  that  was  voted,  even  by  Leon,  a  dan- 
gerous experiment  —  too  dangerous  to  be  attempted. 
They  were  still  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  and 
the  bridge  was  now  gone.  If  left  to  themselves,  no 
doubt  they  would  have  perished,  as  they  were  very 
young  things.  Perhaps  some  carnivorous  creature 
—  wolf,  coati,  eagle,  or  vulture  —  would  have  de- 
oured  them,  or  they  might  have  been  eaten  .up  by 


230  THE    RAFT. 

the  ants.  But  this  was  not  to  be  their  fate.  Guapo 
swam  across  and  strangled  them  ;  then,  tying  them 
together,  he  suspended  the  pair  over  his  shoulders, 
and  brought  them  with  him  to  be  exhibited  as  a  cu- 
riosity. Moreover,  Guapo  had  a  design  upon  their 
skins. 

It  vvas  not  long  after  that  a  pleasanter  pet  than 
either  of  them  was  found ;  and  this  was  a  beautiful 
little  saimiri  monkey,  about  the  size  of  a  squirrel, 
which  Guapo  and  Leon  captured  one  day  in  the 
woods.  They  heard  a  noise  as  they  were  passing 
along,  and,  going  up  to  the  spot,  saw  on  the  branch  of 
a  low  tree  nearly  a  dozen  little  monkeys  all  rolled  up 
together  in  a  heap,  with  their  tails  warped  round 
each  other  as  if  to  keep  themselves  warm.  Nearly 
another  dozen  were  running  about,  whining  and  ap- 
parently trying  to  get  in  among  the  rest.  Guapo 
and  Leon  made  a  sudden  rush  'upon  them,  and  were 
able  to  capture  three  or  four  before  the  creatures 
could  free  themselves  ;  but  only  one  lived,  and  that 
became  a  great  pet  and  favorite.  It  was  a  beautiful 
little  creature  —  a  true  saimiri,  or  squirrel  monkey, 
called  the  "  titi."  Its  silky  fur  was  of  a  rich  olive- 
green  color ;  and  its  fine  large  eyes  expressed  fear 
or  joy — now  filling  with  tears,  and  now  brightening 
again — just  like  those  of  a  child. 

During  the  summer  our  bark  gatherers  continued 
their  labor  without  interruption  ;  and  on  account  of 
the  great  plenty  of  the  cinchona  trees,  and  their 
proximity  to  the  house,  they  were  enabled  to  accu- 
mulate a  very  large  store.     They  worked  like  bees. 

Although  this  forest  life  was  not  without  its  pleas- 


THE    RAFT.  231 

ores  a  id  excitement,  yet  it  began  to  grow  very  irk- 
some both  to  Don  Pablo  and  Dona  Isidora.  Life  in 
the  wilderness,  with  its  rude  cares  and  rude  enjoy- 
rmnts,  may  be  very  pleasant  for  a  while  to  those  who 
seek  it  as  amateurs,  or  to  that  class  who,  as  colonists, 
intend  to  make  it  a  permanent  thing.  But  neither 
Don  Pablo  nor  his  wife  had  ever  thought  of  coloniza- 
tion. With  them  their  present  industry  was  the  re- 
sult of  accident  and  necessity.  Their  tastes  and 
longings  were  very  different.  They  longed  to  return 
to  civilized  life  ;  and,  though  the  very  misfortune 
which  had  driven  them  forth  into  the  wilderness  had 
also  guided  them  to  an  opportunity  of  making  a  for- 
tune, it  is  probable  they  would  have  passed  it  by  had 
they  not  known  that,  penniless  as  they  were,  they 
would  have  fared  still  worse  in  any  city  to  which 
they  might  have  gone.  But  before  the  first  year  was 
out  they  yearned  very  much  to  return  to  civilization  ; 
and  this  desire  was  very  natural.  But  there  were 
other  reasons  that  influenced  them  besides  the  mere 
ennui  of  the  wilderness.  The  lives  of  themselves 
and  their  children  were  constantly  in  danger  from 
jaguars,  pumas,  and  poisonous  reptiles.  Even  man 
himself  might  at  any  moment  appear  as  their  de- 
stroyer. As  yet  no  Indian  —  not  even  a  trace  of  one 
—  had  been  seen.  But  this  was  not  strange.  In  the 
tangled  and  impenetrable  forests  of  the  great  Montana 
two  tribes  of  Indians  may  reside  for  years  within 
less  than  a  league's  distance  of  each  other  withou: 
either  being  aware  of  the  other's  existence.  Scarce- 
ly any  intercourse  is  carried  on,  or  excursions  made, 
except  by  the  rivers,  for  they  are  the  only  roads ;  and 


232  THE    RAFT. 

where  two  of  these  run  parallel,  although  they  may 
be  only  at  a  short  distance  from  each  other,  people 
residing  on  one  may  never  think  of  crossing  to  the 
other. 

Notwithstanding  that  no  Indians  had  yet  appeared 
to  disturb  them,  there  was  no  certainty  that  these 
might  not  arrive  any  day  and  treat  them  as  enemies. 
On  this  account  Don  Pablo  and  Dona  Isidora  were 
never  without  a  feeling  of  uneasiness. 

After  mutual  deliberation,  therefore,  they  resolved 
not  to  prolong  their  stay  beyond  the  early  part  of 
spring,  when  they  would  carry  out  their  original  de- 
sign of  building  a  balza  raft  and  commit  themselves 
to  the  great  river,  which,  according  to  all  appearance 
and  to  Guapo's  confident  belief,  flowed  directly  to  the 
Amazon.  Guapo  had  never  either  descended  or 
ascended  it  himself,  and  on  their  first  arrival  was  not 
so  sure  about  its  course  ;  but,  after  having  gone  down 
to  its  banks  and  examined  its  waters,  his  recollections 
revived,  and  he  remembered  many  accounts  which 
he  had  heard  of  it  from  Indians  of  his  own  tribe. 
He  had  no  doubt  but  it  was  the  same  which,  under 
the  name  of  the  "  Purus,"  falls  into  the  Amazon  be- 
tween the  mouths  of  the  Madeira  and  the  Coary. 

Upon  this  stream,  therefore,  in  a  few  months  they 
would  embark.  But  these  intervening  months  were 
nut  spent  in  idleness.  Although  the  season  for  bark 
gathering  was  past,  another  source  of  industry  pre- 
sented itself.  The  bottom  lands  of  the  great  river 
were  found  to  be  covered  with  a  network  of  under- 
wood ;  and  among  this  underwood  the  principal  plant 
was  a  well-known  brier,  Smilax  officinalis.     This  is 


THE    RAFT.  233 

the  creeping  plant  that  yields  the  celebrated  "  sarsa- 
parilla;" and  Don  Pablo,  having. made  an  analysis 
of  some  roots,  discovered  it  to  be  the  most  valuable 
species ;  for  it  is  to  be  remembered  that,  like  the 
cinchona,  a  whole  genus,  or  rather  several  genera, 
furnish  the  article  of  commerce.  The  brier  which 
produces  the  sarsaparilla  is  a  tall,  creeping  plant, 
which  throws  out  a  large  number  of  long,  wrinkled 
roots  of  a  uniform  thickness  and  about  the  size  of  a 
goose  quill.  Nothing  is  required  further  than  dig- 
ging and  dragging  these  roots  out  of  the  ground, 
drying  them  a  while,  and  then  binding  them  in  bun- 
dles with  a  small  "  sipo,"  or  tough  forest  creeper. 
These  bundles  are  made  up  so  as  to  render  the  roots 
convenient  for  packing  and  transport. 

During  several  months  this  branch  of  industry  oc- 
cupied Don  Pablo,  Guapo,  and  Leon ;  so  that,  when 
the  time  drew  nigh  for  their  departure,  what  with 
the  cinchona  bark,  the  sarsaparilla,  and  the  vanilla 
beans,  there  was  not  an  empty  inch  in  the  large 
storehouse. 

Guapo  had  not  been  all  the  time  with  them.  For 
several  days  Guapo  was  not  to  be  seen  at  the  house, 
nor  any  where  around  it.  Where  had  Guapo  been 
all  this  time  ?  I  will  tell  you.  Guapo  had  been  to 
the  mountains. 

Yes  ;  Don  Pablo  had  sent  him  on  an  important 
mission,  which  he  had  performed  with  secrecy  and 
despatch.  Don  Pablo,  before  braving  the  dangers  of 
the  vast  journey  he  had  projected,  had  still  a  linger- 
ing hope  that  something  might  have  happened  — 
some  change  in  the  government  of  Peru  —  perhaps  * 


234  THE    RAFT. 

lew  viceroy  —  that  might  enable  him  to  return  with 
safety  to  his  native  land.  To  ascertain  if  such  had 
taken  place,  Guapo  had  made  his  journey  to  the 
mountains. 

He  went  no  farther  than  the  Puna  —  no  farther 
than  the  hut  of  his  friend  the  vaquero,  who,  by  a 
previous  understanding  with  Guapo,  had  kept  himself 
informed  about  political  matters. 

There  was  no  hope  ;  the  same  council,  the  same 
viceroy,  the  same  price  upon  the  head  of  Don  Pablo, 
who,  however,  was  believed  to  have  escaped  in  an 
American  ship,  and  to  have  taken  refuge  in  the  great 
republic  of  the  North. 

With  this  news  Guapo  returned  ;  and  now  the 
preparations  for  the  river  voyage  were  set  about  in 
earnest.  A  balza  raft  was  built  out  of  large  trunks 
of  the  Bombax  ceiba,  which,  being  i-ght  wood,  was 
the  best  for  the  purpose.  Of  cou*o<9  these  trunks 
had  been  cut  long  ago  with  a  view  to  using  them  in 
this  way.  A  commodious  cabin,  or  "  toldo,"  was 
constructed  on  thf  Taft,  built  of  palm  and  bamboos, 
and  thatched  with  the  broad  leaves  of  the  bussu.  A 
light  canoe  was  also  hollowed  out,  as  a  sort  of  tender 
to  the  rait ;  and  a  couple  of  very  large  canoes,  for 
the  purpose  of  giving  buoyancy  to  it,  were  lashed 
one  upon  each  side.  The  "  merchandise  "  was  care- 
fully "  stowed  "  and  covered  with  "  tarpaulings  "  of 
palm  leaves,  and  the  stores  laid  in  with  every  provi- 
dential care  and  calculation. 

You  will  be  wondering  what  was  done  with  the 
horse  and  mule  —  those  creatures  that  had  served  the 
exiles   so   faithfully  and   so   well.     Were   they  left 


THE    RAFt  235 

behind  to  become  a  prey  to  the  jaguars  and  the  large 
blood-sucking  bats  that  kill  so  many  animals  in  these 
parts  ?  No  ;  they  were  not  to  be  left  to  such  a  fate. 
One  of  them  —  the  mule  —  had  been  already  dis- 
posed of.  It  was  a  valuable  beast ;  and  partly  on 
that  account,  and  partly  from  gratitude  felt  towards 
it  for  the  well-timed  kick  it  had  given  the  ocelot,  it 
was  to  be  spared.  Guapo  had  taken  both  the  mule 
and  the  horse  on  his  mountain  journey,  and  presented 
the  former  to  his  friend  the  vaquero. 

But  the  horse  was  still  on  hand.  What  was  to  be 
done  with  him?  Leave  him  behind?  That  would 
be  certain  death ;  for  no  horse  that  was  not  cared  for 
could  exist  in  the  Montana  ten  days  without  being 
eaten  up  by  the  fierce  creatures  that  inhabit  it.  The 
bats  would  surely  have  destroyed  him.  Well,  what 
was  done  ?  He  could  not  be  carried  on.  the  raft ; 
but  he  was  though  —  in  a  way.  Guapo  was  resolved 
that  the  bats  should  not  have  him,  nor  the  jaguars 
neither.  He  was  in  fine  condition — fat  as  a  pig. 
The  fruit  of  the  murumuru  had  agreed  with  him. 
He  was  just  in  the  condition  in  which  an  Indian 
thinks  a  horse  "  good  for  killing  ;  and  Criiapo  killed 
him  ;  yes,  Guapo  killed  him.  It  is  true  it  was  a  sor4 
of  a  Virginius  tragedy,  and  Guapo  had  great  difficulty 
in  nerving  himself  for  the  task.  But  the  blow  gun 
was  at  length  levelled,  and  the  curare  did  its  work. 
Then  Guapo  skinned  him,  and  cut  him  into  strips, 
and  dried  him  into  "  charqui,"  and  carried  him  on 
board  the  n.ft.     That  was  the  closing  scene. 

All  left  the  house  together,  carrying  with  them  the 
remains  'if  their  hastily-created  penates.    On  reaching 


236  THE    RAFT. 

the  end  of  the  valley  they  turned  and  threw  back  a 
last  glance  at  a  home  that  had  to  them  been  a  happy 
one  ;  and  then,  continuing  their  journey,  they  were 
soon  upon  the  balza.  The  only  living  creature  that 
accompanied  them  from  their  valley  home  was  the 
pretty  sai'miri,  carried  on  the  shoulder  of  the  little 
Leona. 

The  cable  of  piassaba  palm  was  carefully  taken 
ji  and  coiled,  the  raft  was  pushed  out,  and  the  next 
moment  floated  lightly  upon  the  broad  bosom  of  the 


THE  GUARDIAN  BROTHER.  237 


CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

THE    GUARDIAN    BROTHER. 

The  current  of  the  river  flowed  at  the  rate  of  about 
four  miles  an  hour,  and  at  this  speed  they  travelled. 
They  had  nothing  to  do  but  guide  the  raft  in  the 
middle  part  of  the  stream.  This  was  effected  by 
means  of  a  large  stern  oar  fixed  upon  a  pivot,  and 
which  served  the  purpose  of  a  rudder.  One  was 
required  to  look  after  this  oar,  and  Don  Pablo  and 
Guapo  took  turns  at  it.  It  was  not  a  very  trouble 
some  task,  except  where  some  bend  had  to  be  got 
round,  or  some  eddy  was  to  be  cleared,  when  both 
had  to  work  at  it  together.  At  other  times  the  balza 
floated  straight  on,  without  requiring  the  least  effort 
on  the  part  of  the  crew ;  and  then  they  would  all  sit 
down  and  chat  pleasantly,  and  view  the  changing 
scenery  of  the  forest-covered  shores.  Sometimes 
tall  palms  lined  the  banks,  and  sometimes  great  forest 
trees  netted  together  by  thick  parasites  that  crept 
from  one  to  the  other,  and  twined  around  the  trunks 
like  monster  serpents.  Sometimes  the  shores  were 
one  unbroken  thicket  of  underwood,  where  it  would 
have  been  almost  impossible  to  make  a  landing,  had 
they  wished  it.  At  other  places  there  were  sand 
bars,  and  even  little  islets,  with  scarce  any  vegetation 
upon  them ;  and  they  also  passed  many  other  islets 


238  THE  GUARDIAN  BROTHER. 

and  large  islands  thickly  wooded.  The  country  geiv 
erally  appeared  to  be  flat ;  though  at  one  or  twc 
places  they  saw  hills  that  ran  in  to  the  banks  of  the 
river. 

Of  course  the  change  of  sceneiy  and  the  many 
fresh  vistas  continually  opening  before  them  rendered 
their  voyage  both  cheerful  and  interesting.  The 
many  beautiful  birds,  too,  and  new  kinds  of  trees 
and  animals,  which  they  saw,  were  a  constant  source 
of  varied  enjoyment,  and  furnished  them  with  themes 
of  conversation. 

During  the  first  day  they  made  a  journey  of  full 
forty  miles.  Having  brought  their  balza  close  to  the 
shore  and  secured  it  to  a  tree,  they  encamped  for  the 
night.  There  was  no  opening  of  any  extent,  but  for 
some  distance  the  ground  was  clear  of  underwood, 
and  the  trunks  of  great  old  trees  rose  like  columns, 
losing  themselves  amidst  the  thick  foliage  overhead. 
A  dark  furest  only  could  be  seen  ;  and,  as  night  dr^v 
on,  the  horrid  cries  of  the  alouattes,  or  howling 
monkeys,  mingling  with  the  voices  of  other  nocturnal 
animals,  filled  the  woods.  They  had  no  fear  of 
monkeys ;  but  now  and  then  they  thought  they  could 
distinguish  the  cry  of  the  jaguar,  and  of  him  they 
had  fear  enough.  Indeed  the  jaguar  possesses  the 
power  of  imitating  the  cry  of  the  other  animals  of 
..he  forest  and  often  uses  it  to  draw  them  within  reach 
of  him. 

In  addition  to  the  fire  upon  which  they  had  cooked 
their  supper,  as  soon  as  night  had  fairly  set  in  they 
kindled  others,  forming  a  sort  of  semicircle,  the  chord 
of  which  was  the  bank  of  the  river  itself.     Within 


THE  GUARDIAN  BROTHER.  239 

this  semicircle  the  hammocks  were  stretched  from 
tree  to  tree  ;  and,  as  all  were  fatigued  with  the  day's 
exertions,  they  climbed  into  them  at  an  early  hour, 
and  were  soon  asleep.  One  alone  sat  up  to  keep 
watch.  As  they  thought  they  had  heard  the  jaguar, 
this  was  deemed  best ;  for  they  knew  that  fire  will 
not  always  frighten  off  that  fierce  animal.  As  the 
neighborhood  looked  suspicious,  and  also  as  it  was 
their  first  encampment,  they,  like  all  travellers  at 
setting  out,  of  course  were  more  timid  and  cautious. 

To  Leon  was  assigned  the  first  watch ;  for  Leon 
was  a  courageous  boy,  and  it  was  not  the  first  time 
he  had  taken  his  turn  in  this  way.  He  was  to  sit  up 
for  about  two  hours,  and  then  wake  Guapo,  who 
would  keep  the  midnight  watch ;  after  which  Don 
Pablo's  turn  would  come,  and  that  would  terminate  in 
the  morning  at  daybreak.  Leon  was  instructed  to 
rouse  the  others  in  case  any  danger  might  threaten 
the  camp. 

Leon  from  choice  had  seated  himself  by  the  head 
of  the  hammock  in  which  slept  the  little  Leona ;  in 
order,  no  doubt,  to  be  nearer  her,  as  she  was  the  most 
helpless  of  the  party,  and  therefore  required  more 
immediate  protection.  He  had  both  the  pistols  by 
him,  ready  to  his  hand  and  loaded  ;  and  in  case  of 
danger,  he  knew  very  well  how  to  use  them. 

He  had  been  seated  for  about  half  an  hour,  now 
casting  his  eyes  up  to  the  red  and  wrinkled  trunks  of 
the  trees,  and  then  gazing  into  the  dark  vistas  of  the 

7  DO 

surrounding  forest*,  or  at  other  times  looking  out  upon 
the  glistening  surface  of  the  river.  Many  a  strange 
sound  fell  upon  his  ear.     Sometimes  the  whole  forest 


240  THE  GUARDIAN  BROTHER. 

appeared  to  be  alive  with  voices  —  the  voices  of 
beasts  and  birds,  reptiles  and  insects  ;  for  the  tree 
frogs  and  ciendas  were  as  noisy  as  the  larger  crea- 
tures. At  other  times  a  perfect  stillness  reigned,  so 
that  he  could  distinctly  hear  the  tiny  hum  of  the  mos- 
quito ;  and  then,  all  at  once,  would  fall  upon  his  ear 
the  melancholy  wailing  of  the  nighthawk  —  the  "  alma 
perdida"  or  "  lost  soul"  —  for  such  is  the  poetical 
and  fanciful  name  given  by  the  Spanish  Americans 
to  this  nocturnal  bird. 

While  thus  engaged,  Leon  began  to  feel  very 
drowsy.  The  heavy  day's  work,  in  which  he  had 
borne  part,  had  fatigued  him  as  well  as  the  others ; 
and,  in  spite  of  the  odd  voices  that  from  time  to  tij,ne 
fell  upon  his  ear,  he  could  have  lain  down  upon  the 
bare  ground  and  slept  without  a  feeling  of  fear. 
Snakes  or  scorpions,  or  biting  lizards  or  spiders., 
would  not  have  kept  him  from  going  to  sleep  at  that 
moment.  It  is  astonishing  how  the  desire  of  sleep 
makes  one  indifferent  to  all  these  things,  which  at 
other  times  we  so  much  dread.  Leon  did  not  fear 
them  a  bit,  but  kept  himself  awake  from  a  feeling  of 
pride  and  honor.  He  reflected  that  it  would  never 
do  to  be  unfaithful  to  the  important  trust  confided  to 
him.  No,  that  would  never  do.  He  rubbed  his  eyes, 
and  rose  up,  and  approached  the  bank,  and  dipped 
his  hands  in  the  water,  and  came  back  to  his  former 
place,  and  sat  down  again.  Spite  of  all  his  efforts, 
however,  he  felt  very  heavy.  O,  when  would  the 
two  hours  pass,  that  he  might  rouse  Guapo  ? 

"  Car-r-ambo !  T  nev-er  was  so  s-s-sleepy.  Vamos! 
Leon  !  you  mustn't  give  in  !  " 


THE  GUARDIAN  BROTHER.  241 

And,  striking  himself  a  lively  slap  on  the  chest,  he 
straightened  his  back,  and  sat  upright  for  a  while. 

He  was  just  beginning  to  get  bowed  about  the 
shoulders  again,  and  to  nod  a  little,  when  he  was 
startled  by  a  short,  sharp  exclamation  uttered  by  the 
little  Leona.  He  looked  up  to  her  hammock.  He 
could  perceive  it  had  moved  slightly;  but  it  was  at 
rest  again,  and  its  occupant  was  evidently  asleep. 

"  Poor  little  sis !  she  is  dreaming,"  he  muttered 
half  aloud.  "  Perhaps  some  horrid  dream  of  jaguars 
or  serpents.  I  have  half  a  mind  to  wake  her.  But, 
no ;  she  sleeps  too  soundly ;  I  might  disturb  them 
all ; "  and,  with  these  reflections,  Leon  remained  upon 
his  seat. 

Once  more  his  head  was  beginning  to  bob,  when 
the  voice  of  Leona  again  startled  him,  and  he  looked 
up  as  before.  The  hammock  moved  slightly,  but 
there  was  no  appearance  of  any  thing  wrong.  From 
where  he  sat  he  could  not  see  well  into  it ;  but  the 
outlines  of  the  child's  body  were  easily  discernible 
through  the  elastic  netting ;  and  at  the  farther  end  he 
could  just  perceive  one  of  her  little  feet,  where  it  had 
escaped  from  the  covering,  and  rested  partly  over  the 
edge. 

As  he  continued  to  gaze  upon  the  delicate  mem 
ber,  thinking  whether  he  had  not  better  cover  it 
against  the  mosquitoes,  all  at  once  his  eye  was 
attracted  by  something  red  —  a  crooked  red  line  that 
traversed  from  the  toe  downward  along  the  side  of 
the  foot.  It  was  red  and  glittering  —  it  was  a  stream 
of  blood  ! 

His  first  feeling  was  one  of  horror.     His  next  wa» 
16 


242  THE  GUARDIAN  BROTHER. 

a  resolve  to  spring  to  his  feet  and  rouse  the  camp ; 
but  this  impulse  was  checked  by  one  of  greater  pru- 
dence. Whatever  enemy  had  done  it,  thought  he, 
must  still  be  about  the  hammock ;  to  make  a  noise 
would,  perhaps,  only  irritate  it,  and  cause  it  to  inflict 
some  still  more  terrible  wound.  He  would  remain 
quiet  until  he  had  got  his  eyes  upon  the  creature, 
when  he  could  spring  upon  it,  or  fire  his  pistol,  before 
it  could  do  further  harm. 

With  these  ideas,  quickly  conceived,  he  rose  silently 
to  his  feet,  and  standing,  or  rather  crouching,  forward 
bent  his  oyss  over  the  hammock. 


THE    VAMPIRE.  243 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 


THE  VAMPIRE. 


Leon's  head  was  close  to  that  of  the  sleeper, 
whose  sweet  breath  he  felt,  and  whose  little  bosom 
rose  and  fell  in  gentle  undulation.  He  scanned  the 
inside  of  the  hammock  from  head  to  foot.  He  gazed 
anxiously  into  every  fold  of  the  cover.  Not  an  ob- 
ject could  he  see  that  should  not  have  been  there  — 
no  terrible  creature  —  no  serpent  —  for  it  was  this 
last  that  was  in  his  mind.  But  something  must  have 
been  there.  What  could  have  caused  the  stream  of 
blood,  that  now,  being  closer,  he  could  more  plainly 
see  trickling  over  the  soft  blue  veins  ?  Some  crea- 
ture must  have  done  it. 

"  O,  if  it  be  the  small  viper,"  thought  he,  "  or  the 
coral  snake,  or  the  deadly  macaurel !     If  these " 

His  thoughts  at  this  moment  were  interrupted.  A 
light  flapping  of  wings  sounded  in  his  ear  —  so  light, 
that  it  appeared  to  be  made  by  the  soft  pinions  of  the 
owl,  or  some  nocturnal  bird.  It  was  not  by  the  wings 
of  a  bird  that  that  sound  was  produced,  but  by  the 
wings  of  a  hideous  creature.  Leon  was  conscious, 
from  the  continued  flapping,  that  something  was  play- 
ing through  the  air,  and  that  it  occasionally  ap- 
proached close  to  his  head.  He  gazed  upward  and 
around   him,  and    at   length  he  could  distinguish  a 


244  THE    VAMPIRE. 

dark  form  passing  between  him  and  the  light ;  but  i 
glided  into  the  darkness  again,  and  he  could  see  it  no 
more.  Was  it  a  bird  ?  It  looked  like  one  —  it  might 
have  been  an  owl  —  it  was  full  as  large  as  one  ;  but 
yet,  from  the  glance  he  had  had  of  it,  it  appeared  to 
be  black  or  very  dark,  and  he  had  never  heard  of 
owls  of  that  color.  Moreover,  it  had  not  the  look  nor 
flight  of  an  owl.  Was  it  a  bird  at  all  ?  Or  whatever 
it  wa3  was  it  the  cause  of  the  blood  ?  This  did  not 
appear  likely  to  Leon,  who  still  had  his  thoughts  bent 
upon  the  snakes. 

While  he  was  revolving  these  questions  in  his 
mind,  he  again  turned  and  looked  towards  the  foot  of 
the  hammock.  The  sight  caused  him  a  thrill  of  hor- 
ror. .  There  was  the  hideous  creature,  which  he  had 
just  seen,  right  over  the  bleeding  foot.  It  was  not 
perched,  but  suspended  in  the  air  on  its  moving 
wings,  with  its  long  snout  protruded  forward  and 
pressed  against  the  toe  of  the  sleeper !  Its  sharp, 
white  teeth  were  visible  in  both  jaws ;  and  its  small 
vicious  eyes  glistened  under  the  light  of  the  fires. 
The  red  hair  covering  its  body  and  large  membra- 
nous wings  added  to  the  hideousness  of  its  aspect 
and  a  more  hideous  creature  could  not  have  been 
conceived.  It  was  the  vampire  —  the  blood-sucking 
phyllo stoma  ! 

A  short  cry  escaped  from  the  lips  of  Leon.  I 
was  not  a  cry  of  pain,  but  the  contrary.  The  sigh 
of  the  great  bat,  hideous  as  the  creature  was,  relievei 
him.  He  had  all  along  been  under  the  painful  im 
pression  that  some  venomous  serpent  had  caused  th« 
blood  to  flow  ;  and  now  he  had  no  further  fear  on  tha 


THE    VAMPIRE.  245 

score.  He  knew  that  there  was  no  poison  in  the 
wound  inflicted  by  the  phyllostoma  —  only  the  loss 
of  a  little  blood  ;  and  this  quieted  his  anxieties  at 
once.  He  resolved,  however,  to  punish  the  intruder 
and  not  caring  to  rouse  the  camp  by  firing,  he  stole  a 
little  closer,  and  aimed  a  blow  with  the  but  of  his 
pistol.  The  blow  was  well  aimed,  and  brought  the 
bat  to  the  ground  ;  but  its  shrill  screeching  awoke 
every  body,  and  in  a  few  moments  the  camp  was  in 
complete  confusion.  The  sight  of  the  blood  on  the 
foot  of  the  little  Leona  quite  terrified  Dona  Isidora 
and  the  rest ;  but  when  the  cause  was  explained,  all 
felt  reassured  and  thankful  that  the  thing  was  no 
worse.  The  little  foot  was  bound  up  in  a  rag ;  and 
although,  for  two  or  three  days  after,  it  was  not  with- 
out pain,  yet  no  bad  effects  came  of  it. 

The  "  blood-sucking "  bats  do  not  cause  death, 
either  to  man  or  any  other  animal,  by  a  single  at- 
tack. All  the  blood  they  can  draw  out  amounts  to 
only  a  few  ounces,  although  after  their  departure  the 
blood  continues  to  run  from  the  open  wound.  It  is 
by  repeating  their  attacks  night  after  night  that  the 
strength  of  an  animal  becomes  exhausted,  and  it 
dies  from  sheer  loss  of  blood  and  consequent  faint- 
ness.  With  animals  this  is  far  from  being  a  rare  oc- 
cuirence.  Hundreds  of  horses  and  cattle  are  killed 
every  year  in  the  South  American  pastures.  These 
creatures  suffer,  perhaps,  without  knowing  from  what 
cause  ;  for  the  phyllostoma  performs  its  cupping  op- 
eration without  causing  the  least  pain  —  at  all  events 
the  sleeper  is  very  rarely  awakened  by  it.  It  is  easy 
to  understand  how  it  sucks  the  blood  of  its  victim ; 


246  THE    VAMPIRE. 

for  its  snout  and  the  leafy  appendage  around  its 
mouth  —  from  which  it  derives  the  name  "  phyllos- 
toma  " —  are  admirably  adapted  to  that  end.  But 
how  does  it  make  the  puncture  to  "  let"  the  blood? 
That  is  as  yet  a  mystery  among  naturalists,  as  it  also 
is  among  the  people  who  are  habitually  its  victims 
Even  Guapo  could  not  explain  the  process.  The 
large  teeth —  of  which  it  has  got  quite  a  mouthful  — 
seem  altogether  unfitted  to  make  a  hole  such  as  is 
found  where  the  phyllostoma  has  been  at  work. 
Their  bite,  moreover,  would  awake  the  soundest 
sleeper.  Besides  these,  it  has  neither  fangs,  nor 
sting,  nor  proboscis,  that  would  serve  the  purpose. 
How,  then,  does  it  reach  the  blood  ?  Many  theories 
have  been  offered.  Some  assert  that  it  rubs  the  skin 
with  its  snout  until  it  brings  it  to  bleeding ;  others  say 
that  it  sets  the  sharp  point  of  one  of  its  large  tusks 
against  the  part,  and  then,  by  plying  its  wings,  wheels 
round  and  round,  as  upon  a  pivot,  until  the  point  has 
penetrated  —  that  during  this  operation  the  motion  of 
the  wings  fans  and  cools  the  sleeping  victim,  so  that 
no  pain  is  felt.  It  may  be  a  long  while  before  this 
curious  question  is  solved,  on  account  of  the  difficulty 
of  observing  a  creature  whose  habits  are  nocturnal, 
and  most  of  whose  deeds  are  "  done  in  the  dark." 

People  have  denied  the  existence  of  such  a  crea- 
ture as  the  blood-sucking  bat ;  even  naturalists  have 
gone  so  far.  They  can  allege  no  better  grounds  for 
their  incredulity  than  that  the  thing  has  an  air  of  the 
fabulous  and  horrible  about  it.  But  this  is  not  philos- 
ophy. Incredulity  is  the  characteristic  of  the  half 
educated.     It  may  be  carried  too  far,  and  the  fable* 


THE    VAMPIRE.  247 

of  the  vulgar  have  often  a  stratum  of  truth  at  the 
bottom.  There  is  one  thing  that  is  almost  intolerable, 
and  that  is  the  conceit  of  the  "  closet  naturalist,"  who 
sneers  at  every  thing  as  untrue  that  seems  to  show 
the  least  design  on  the  part  of  the  brute  creation  — 
who  denies  every  thing  that  appears  at  all  singular 
or  fanciful,  and  simply  because  it  appears  so.  Witli 
the  truthful  observations  that  have  been  made  upon 
the  curious  domestic  economy  of  such  little  creatures 
as  bees,  and  wasps,  and  ants,  we  ought  to  be  cautious 
how  we  reject  statements  about  the  habits  of  other 
animals,  however  strange  they  may  appear. 

Who  doubts  that  a  mosquito  will  perch  itself  upon 
the  skin  of  a  human  being,  pierce  it  with  his  probos- 
cis, and  suck  away  until  it  is  gorged  with  blood  ? 
Why  does  it  appear  strange  that  a  bat  should  do  the 
same  ? 

Now,  your  closet  naturalist  will  believe  that  the  bat 
does  suck  the  blood  of  cattle  and  horses,  but  denies 
that  it  will  attack  man.  This  is  sheer  nonsense. 
What  difference  to  the  vampire,  whether  its  victim  be 
a  biped  or  quadruped  ?  Is  it  fear  of  the  former  that 
would  prevent  it  from  attacking  him  ?  Perhaps  it 
may  never  have  seen  a  human  being  before  :  besides, 
it  attacks  its  victim  while  asleep,  and  is  rarely  ever 
caught  or  punished  in  the  act.  Where  these  crea- 
tures are  much  hunted  or  persecuted  by  man,  they 
may  learn  to  fear  him,  and  their  original  habits  may 
become  changed  ;  but  that  is  quite  another  thing.  As 
Nature  has  formed  them,  the  blood-sucking  bats  will 
make  their  attack  indifferently,  either  upon  man  or 
large  quadrupeds.     There  are  a  thousand  proofs  ta 


248  THE    VAMPIRE. 

be  had  in  all  the  tropical  regions  of  America.  Ev. 
ery  year  animals  are  killed  by  the  phyllo stoma  hasta- 
twn,  not  in  hundreds,  but  in  thousands.  It  is  record- 
ed that  on  one  extensive  cattle  farm  several  hundred 
head  were  killed  in  the  short  period  of  six  months  by 
the  bats  ;  and  the  vaqueros,  who  received  a  bounty 
upon  every  bat  they  should  capture,  in  one  year  suc- 
ceeded in  destroying  the  enormous  number  of  seven 
thousand.  Indeed,  "  bat  hunting "  is  followed  by 
some  as  a  profession,  so  eager  are  the  owners  of 
the  cattle  farms  to  get  rid  of  these  pests. 

Many  tribes  of  Indians  and  travellers  suffer  great 
annoyance  from  the  vampire  bats.  Some  persons 
never  go  to  sleep  without  covering  themselves  with 
blankets,  although  the  heat  be  ever  so  oppressive. 
Any  part  left  naked  will  be  attacked  by  the  phyllos- 
toma  ;  but  they  seem  to  have  a  preference  for  the  tip 
of  the  great  toe  —  perhaps  because  they  have  found 
that  part  more  habitually  exposed.  Sometimes  one 
sleeper  is  "cupped"  by  them,  while  another  will  not 
be  molested  ;  and  this,  I  may  observe,  is  true  also  of 
the  mosquitoes.  There  may  be  some  difference  as 
to  the  state  of  the  blood  of  two  individuals  that  leads 
to  this  fastidious  preference.  Some  are  far  more 
subject  to  their  attack  than  others  —  so  much  so,  that 
they  require  to  adopt  every  precaution  to  save  them- 
selves from  being  bled  to  death.  Cayenne  pepper 
rubbed  over  the  skin  is  used  to  keep  them  off,  and 
also  to  cure  the  wound  they  have  made ;  but  even 
this  sometimes  proves  ineffective. 

Of  course,  there  are  many  species  of  bats  in  South 
America  besides  the  vampire  ;   in  fact,  there  is  no 


THE    VAMPIRE.  249 

class  of  mammalia  more  numerous  in  genera  and 
species,  and  no  part  of  the  world  where  greater  num- 
bers are  found,  than  in  the  tropical  regions  of  Ameri- 
ca. Some  are  insect  eaters,  while  others  live  entire- 
ly on  vegetable  substances  ;  but  all  have  the  same 
unsightly  and  repulsive  appearance.  The  odor  of 
some  kinds  is  extremely  fetid  and  disagreeable.  Not 
withstanding  this,  they  are  eaten  by  many  tribes  oi 
Indians  ;  and  even  the  French  Creoles  of  Guiana  hav«r> 
their  "  bat  soup,"  which  they  relish  highly.  The 
proverb,  "De  gustibus  non  disputandum  est"  seems 
to  be  true  for  all  time.  The  Spanish  Americans  have 
it  in  the  phrase,  "  Cada  uno  a  su  gusto  ; "  "  Chacun 
d  son  gout"  say  the  French  ;  and  on  hearing  these 
tales  about  "  ant  paste,"  and  "  roast  monkey,"  and 
"  armadillo  done  in  the  shell,"  and  "  bat  soup,"  you, 
boy  reader,  will  not  fail  to  exclaim,  "  Every  one  to 
his  liking." 

The  vampire  appeared  to  be  to  Guapo's  liking. 
It  was  now  his  turn  to  keep  watch ;  and  as  the  rest  of 
them  got  into  their  hammocks  and  lay  awake  for  a 
while,  they  saw  him  take  up  the  bat,  spit  it  upon  a 
forked  stick,  and  commence  broiling  it  over  the  fire. 
Of  course  he  ate  it ! 

When  morning  came,  and  they  had  got  up,  what 
was  their  astonishment  to  see  no  less  than  fourteen 
bats  lying  side  by  side  !  They  were  dead,  of  course  : 
Guapo  had  killed  them  all  during  his  watch.  They 
had  appeared  at  one  period  of  the  night  in  alarming 
numbers,  and  Guapo  had  done  battle  manfully  with- 
out awaking  any  body. 

Another  curious  tableau  came  under  their  notice 


250  THE    VAMPIRE. 

shortly  after.  Just  as  they  were  about  to  embark,  a 
singular-looking  tree  was  observed  growing  near  the 
bank  of  the  river.  At  first  they  thought  the  tree  was 
covered  with  birds'  nests,  or  pieces  of  some  kind  of 
moss.  Indeed,  it  looked  more  like  a  tree  hung  over 
with  rags  than  any  thing  else.  Curiosity  led  them  to 
approach  it.  What  was  their  astonishment  to  find 
that  the  nests,  moss,  or  rags  were  neither  more  nor 
less  than  a  vast  assemblage  of  bats  suspended,  and 
asleep  !  They  were  hanging  in  all  possible  positions  ; 
some  with  their  heads  down,  some  by  the  claws  upon 
either  wing,  and  some  by  both,  while  a  great  many 
had  merely  hooked  over  the  branch  the  little  horny 
curvature  of  their  tails.  Some  hung  down  along  the 
trunk,  suspended  by  a  crack  in  the  bark,  while  others 
were  far  out  upon  the  branches. 

It  was  certainly  the  oddest  "  roost "  that  any  of 
\he  party  (Guapo,  perhaps,  excepted)  had  ever  wit- 
nessed ;  and,  after  gazing  at  it  for  some  time,  they 
turned  away  without  disturbing  the  sleepers,  and,  get- 
ting on  board  once  more,  floated  adown  the  stream 
swiftlv  and  silently. 


THE    MARIMONDAS.  SJ51 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

THE  MARIMONDAS. 

That  day  they  made  good  progress,  having  dropped 
down  the  river  a  distance  of  fifty  miles  at  least. 
They  might  even  have  gone  farther ;  but  a  good 
<  amping-place  offered,  and  they  did  not  like  to  pass 
it,  as  they  might  not  find  another  so  convenient.  It 
was  a  muddy  bank,  or  rather  a  promontory,  that  ran 
out  into  the  river,  and  was  entirely  without  trees,  or 
any  other  vegetation,  as  it  was  annually  overflowed, 
and  formed,  in  fact,  part  of  the  bed  of  the  river.  At 
this  time  the  mud  was  quite  dry  and  smooth,  and 
appeared  as  if  it  had  been  paddled  and  beaten  down 
by  the  feet  of  animals  and  birds.  This  was,  in  fact, 
the  case ;  for  the  point  was  a  favorite  resting-place 
for  the  "  chiguires,"  or  "  capivaras,"  on  their  passage 
to  and  from  the  water.  There  were  tracks  of  tapirs, 
too,  and  peccaries,  and  many  sorts  of  wading  birds, 
that  had  been  there  while  the  mud  was  still  soft. 

There  were  no  trees  to  which  to  hang  their  ham- 
mocks ;  but  the  ground  was  smooth  and  dry,  and  they 
could  sleep  well  enough  upon  it.  They  would  not  be 
troubled  with  the  bats,  as  these  creatures  keep  mostly 
in  the  dark,  shadowy  places  of  the  forest ;  and  snakes 
would  not  likely  be  found  out  on  the  bare  ground. 
They  thought  they  would  there  be  safer  from  jaguars 


252  THE    MARIMONDAS. 

too.  In  fact  it  was  from  these  considerations  that 
they  had  chosen  the  place  for  their  camp.  They 
could  go  to  the  woods  for  an  armful  or  two  of  sticks 
to  cook  supper  with,  and  that  would  suffice. 

The  balza  was  brought  close  in  on  the  upper  side 
of  the  promontory,  so  as  to  be  out  of  the  current ; 
and  then  all  landed  and  made  their  preparations  for 
passing  the  night.  Guapo  marched  off  with  his  axe 
to  get  some  firewood,  and  Leon  accompanied  him,  to 
assist  in  carrying  it.  They  had  not  far  to  go  —  only 
a  hundred  yards  or  so ;  for  up  at  the  end  of  the 
promontory  the  forest  began,  and  there  were  both 
large  trees  and  underwood. 

As  they  walked  forward  one  species  of  trees  caught 
their  attention.  They  were  palm  trees,  but  of  a  sort 
they  had  not  yet  met  with.  They  were  very  tall, 
with  a  thick,  globe-shaped  head  of  pinnate,  plume- 
like leaves.  But  what  rendered  these  trees  peculiar 
was  the  stem.  It  was  slender  in  proportion  to  the 
height  of  the  tree,  and  was  thickly  covered  with  long 
needle-shaped  spines,  not  growing  irregularly,  but  set 
in  bands,  or  rings,  around  the  tree.  This  new  palm 
was  the  "  pupunha,"  or  "  peach  palm,"  as  if  is  called, 
from  the  resemblance  which  its  fruits  bear  to  peaches. 
It  is  also  named  "  pirijao "  in  other  parts  of  South 
America,  and  it  belongs  to  the  genus  "  Gullielma." 

At  the  tops  of  these  trees,  under  the  great  globe 
of  leaves,  Guapo  and  Leon  perceived  the  nuts.  They 
were  hanging  in  clusters,  as  grapes  grow ;  but  the 
fruits  were  as  large  as  apricots,  of  an  oval,  triangu- 
lar shape,  and  of  a  beautiful  reddish-yellow  color. 
That  they  were  delicious  eating,  either  roasted  or 


THE    MARIMONDAS.  253 

boiled,  Guapo  well  knew  ;  and  he  was  determined 
that  some  of  them  should  be  served  at  supper.  But 
how  were  they  to  be  reached  ?  No  man  could  climb 
such  a  tree  as  they  grew  upon.  The  needles  would 
have  torn  the  flesh  from  any  one  who  should  have 
attempted  it. 

Guapo  knew  this.  He  knew,  moreover,  that  tho 
Indians,  who  are  very  fond  of  the  fruit  of  this  tree, 
—  so  much  so  that  they  plant  large  palmares  of  it 
around  their  villages,  —  have  a  way  of  climbing  it  to 
get  at  the  ripe  clusters.  They  tie  cross  pieces  of 
wood  from  one  tree  to  the  other,  and  thus  make  a  sort 
of  step  ladder,  by  which  they  ascend  to  the  fruit.  It 
is  true  they  might  easily  cut  down  the  trees,  as  the 
trunks  are  not  very  thick ;  but  that  would  be  killing 
the  goose  that  gave  the  golden  eggs.  Guapo,  how- 
ever, had  no  further  interest  in  this  wild  orchard  than 
to  make  it  serve  his  turn  for  that  one  night ;  so,  lay- 
ing his  axe  to  one  of  the  "  pupunhas,"  he  soon  lev- 
elled its  majestic  stem  to  the  ground.  Nothing  more 
remained  than  to  lop  off  the  clusters,  any  one  of 
which  was  as  much  as  Leon  could  lift  from  the  ground. 
Guapo  found  the  wood  hard  enough  even  in  its  green 
state  ;  but  when  old  it  becomes  black,  and  is  then  so 
hard  that  it  will  turn  the  edge  of  an  axe.  There  is, 
perhaps,  no  wood  in  all  South  America  harder  than 
thar.  of  the  pirijao  palm. 

I  is  with  the  needle-like  spines  of  this  species  that 
many  tribes  of  Indians  puncture  their  skins  in  tattoo- 
ing themselves ;  and  other  uses  are  made  by  them  of 
different  parts  of  this  noble  tree.  The  macaws,  par- 
rots, and  other  fruit-eating  birds  are  fonder  of  tha 


254  THE    MARIMONDAS. 

nuts  of  the  pupunha  than  perhaps  any  other  species ; 
and  so,  too,  would  be  the  fruit-eating  quadrupeds  if 
they  could  get  at  them.  But  the  thorny  trunk  renders 
them  quite  inaccessible  to  all  creatures  without  wings, 
excepting  man  himself.  No;  there  is  one  other 
exception,  and  that  is  a  creature  closely  allied  to 
man ;  I  mean  the  monkey.  Notwithstanding  the 
thorny  stem,  which  even  man  cannot  scale  without  a 
contrivance,  —  notwithstanding  the  apparently  inac- 
cessible clusters,  inaccessible  from  their  great  height, 
—  there  is  a  species  of  monkey  that  manages  now 
and  then  to  get  a  meal  of  them.  How  do  these  mon- 
keys manage  it  ?  Not  by  climbing  the  stem,  for  the 
thorns  are  too  sharp  even  for  them.  How  then  ?  Do 
the  nuts  fall  to  the  ground  and  allow  the  monkeys  to 
gather  them  ?  No  ;  this  is  not  the  case.  How  then  ? 
We  shall  see. 

Guapo  and  Leon  had  returned  to  the  camp,  taking 
with  them  the  pupunha  fruit  and  the  firewood.  A  fire 
was  kindled,  the  cooking  pot  hung  over  it  on  a  tripod, 
and  tney  all  sat  around  to  wait  for  its  boiling. 

While  thus  seated,  an  unusual  noise  reached  their 
ears,  coming  from  the  woods.  There  were^  parrots 
and  macaws  among  the  palms,  making  noise  enough 
and  fluttering  about ;  but  it  was  not  these.  The  noise 
that  had  arrested  the  attention  of  our  travellers  was  a 
mixture  of  screaming,  and  chattering,  and  howling, 
and  barking,  as  if  there  were  fifty  sorts  of  creatures 
at  the  making  of  it.  The  bushes,  too,  were  heard 
"  switching  about ;  "  and  now  and  then  a  dead  branch 
would  crack,  as  if  snapped  suddenly.  To  a  stranger 
in  these  woods,  such  a  blending  of  sounds  would  have 


THE    MARIMONDAS.  255 

appeared  very  mysterious  and  inexplicable.  Not  so 
to  our  party.  They  knew  it  was  only  a  troop  of 
monkeys  passing  along  upon  one  of  their  journeys. 
From  their  peculiar  cries,  Guapo  knew  what  kind  of 
monkeys  they  were. 

"  Marimondas"  he  said. 

The  marimondas  are  not  true  "  howlers,"  although 
they  are  of  the  same  tribe  as  the  "  howling  monkeys," 
(Stentor.)  They  belong  to  the  genus  Ateles,  so  called 
because  they  want  the  thumb,  and  are  therefore  im- 
perfect or  unfinished  as  regards  the  hands.  But  what 
the  ateles  want  in  hands  is  supplied  by  another  mem- 
ber—  the  tail ;  and  this  they  ha*ve  to  all  perfection. 
It  is  to  them  a  fifth  hand,  and  apparently  more  useful 
than  the  other  four.  It  assists  them  very  materially 
in  travelling  through  the  tree  tops.  They  use  it  to 
bring  objects  nearer  them.  They  use  it  to  suspend 
themselves  in  a  state  of  repose,  and  thus  suspended 
they  sleep  ;  nay,  more ;  thus  suspended  they  often 
die !  Of  all  the  monkey  tribe,  the  ateles  are  those 
that  have  most  prehensile  power  in  their  tails. 

There  are  several  species  of  them  known ;  the 
coaita,  the  whitefaced,  the  black  cayou,  the  beelze- 
bub,  the  chamek,  the  blackhanded,  and  the  mari- 
monda.  The  habits  of  all  are  very  similar,  though 
the  species  differ  in  size  and  color. 

The  marimonda  is  one  of  the  largest  of  South 
American  monkeys,  being  about  three  feet  standing 
upon  its  hind  legs,  with  a  tail  of  immense  length, 
thick  and  strong  near  the  root,  and  tapering  to  a 
point.  On  its  under  side,  for  the  last  foot  or  so  from 
the  end,  there  is  no  hail,  but  a  callous  skin  ;  and  thia 


256  THE    MARIMONDAS. 

is  the  part  used  for  holding  on  to  the  branches.  The 
marimonda  is  far  from  being  a  handsome  monkey. 
Its  long,  thin  arms  and  thumbless  hands  give  it  an 
attenuated  appearance,  which  is  not  relieved  by  the 
immense  disproportioned  tail.  It  is  reddish,  or  of  a 
parched  coffee  color,  on  the  upper  part  of  the  body, 
which  becomes  blanched  on  the  throat,  belly,  and 
insides  of  the  thighs.  Its  color,  in  fact,  is  somewhat 
of  the  hue  of  the  half  blood  Indian  and  negro  ;  hence 
the  marimonda  is  known  in  some  parts  of  Spanish 
America  by  the  name  of  "mono  zambo,"  or  " zambo" 
monkey  ;  a  "  zambo  "  being  the  descendant  of  Indian 
and  negro  parents. 

The  noise  made  by  the  marimondas  which  had 
fteen  heard  by  our  party  seemed  to  proceed  from  the 
bank  of  the  river,  some  distance  above  the  promon- 
tory ;  but  it  was  evidently  growing  louder  every 
minute,  and  they  judged  that  the  monkeys  were  ap- 
proaching. 

In  a  few  minutes  they  appeared  in  sight,  passing 
along  the  upper  part  of  a  grove  of  trees  that  stood 
close  to  the  water.  Our  travellers  had  now  an  excel- 
lent view  of  them,  and  they  sat  watching  them  with 
interest.  Their  mode  of  progression  was  extremely 
curious.  They  never  came  to  the  ground,  but  where 
the  branches  interlocked  they  ran  from  one  to  the 
other  with  the  lightning  speed  of  squirrels,  or,  indeed, 
like  birds  upon  the  wing.  Sometimes,  however,  the 
boughs  stood  far  apart.  Then  the  marimonda,  run- 
ning out  as  far  as  the  branch  would  bear  him,  would 
warp  a  few  inches  of  his  tail  around  it,  and  spring 
off  into  the  air.    In  the  spring  he  would  give  himself 


THE    MARIMONDAS.  257 

such  an  impetus  as  would  cause  the  branch  to  revolve  ; 
and  his  body  following  this  circular  motion,  with  the 
long,  thin  arms  thrown  out  in  front,  he  would  grasp 
the  first  branch  that  he  could  reach.  This,  of  course, 
would  land  him  on  a  new  tree,  and  over  that  he  would 
soon  spring  to  the  next. 

Among  the  troop  several  females  were  perceived 
with  their  young.  The  latter  were  carried  on  the 
backs  of  the  mothers,  where  they  held  on  by  means 
of  their  own  little  tails,  feeling  perfectly  secure. 
Sometimes  the  mothers  would  dismount  them,  and 
cause  them  to  swing  themselves  from  branch  to 
branch,  going  before  to  show  them  the  way.  This 
was  witnessed  repeatedly.  In  other  places,  where 
the  intervening  space  was  too  wide  for  the  females 
with  their  young  to  pass  over,  the  males  could  be  seen 
bending  down  a  branch  of  the  opposite  tree,  so  as  to 
bring  it  nearer  and  assist  them  in  crossing.  All 
these  movements  were  performed  amidst  a  constant 
gabble  of  conversation,  and  shouting,  and  chattering, 
and  the  noise  of  branches  springing  back  to  their 
places. 

The  grove  through  which  the  troop  was  passing 
ended  just  by  the  edge  of  the  promontory.  The 
palm  trees  succeeded,  with  some  trees  of  large  size 
that  grew  over  them. 

The  marimondas  at  length  reached  the  margin  cf 
the  grove,  and  then  they  were  all  seen  to  stop,  most 
of  them  throwing  themselves  heads  down,  and  hang- 
ing only  by  their  tails.  This  is  the  position  in  which 
they  find  themselves  best  prepared  for  any  immediate 
action ;  and  it  is  into  this  attitude  they  throw  them- 
17 


258  THE    MARIMONDAS. 

sehes  when  suddenly  alarmed.  They  remained  sa 
for  some  minutes ;  and,  from  the  chattering  carried- 
on  among  them,  it  was  evident  that  they  were  engaged 
in  deliberation.  A  loud  and  general  scream  pro- 
claimed the  result ;  and  all  of  them,  at  one  and  the 
same  instant,  dropped  down  to  the  ground,  and  were 
seen  crossing  over  among  the  palm  trees. 

They  had  to  pass  over  a  piece  of  open  ground 
with  only  some  weeds  upon  it ;  but  their  helplessness 
on  the  ground  was  at  once  apparent.  They  could 
not  place  their  palms  on  the  surface,  but  doubled 
them  up,  and  walked,  as  it  were,  on  the  backs  of 
their  hands,  in  the  most  awkward  manner.  Every 
now  and  again  they  flung  out  their  great  tails,  in 
hopes  of  grasping  something  that  would  help  them 
along ;  and  even  a  large  weed  was  a  welcome  sup- 
port to  them.  On  the  ground  they  were  evidently 
"  out  of  their  element."  In  fact  the  ateles  rarely 
descend  from  the  trees,  which  are  their  natural 
habitat. 

At  length  they  reached  the  palms,  and,  seated  in 
various  attitudes,  looked  up  at  the  tempting  fruit,  all 
the  while  chattering  away.  How  were  they  to  reach 
it  ?  Not  a  tree  that  was  not  covered  with  long 
needles ;  not  a  bunch  of  the  luscious  fruit  that  was 
not  far  above  the  height  of  the  tallest  marimonda. 
How  were  they  to  get  at  it  ?  That  was  the  question. 
It  might  have  been  a  puzzling  question  to  so  many 
boys  —  to  the  monkeys  it  was  not ;  for  in  less  than  a 
score  of  seconds  they  had  settled  it  in  their  minds 
how  the  pupunhas  were  to  be  plucked. 

Rising  high  over  the  palms  grew  a  large  tree,  with 


THE    MARIMONDAS.  259 

long,  outreaching  branches.  It  was  the  M  zamang  " 
tree  —  a  species  of  mimosa,  and  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  trees  of  South  America.  Its  trunk  rose  full 
seventy  feet  without  a  branch  ;  and  then  it  spread  out 
in  every  direction,  in  numerous  horizontal  limbs,  that 
forked  and  forked  again  until  they  became  slender 
boughs.  These  branches  were  clad  with  the  delicate 
pinnate  leaves  that  characterize  the  family  of  the 
mimosas. 

Many  of  the  pupunha  palms  grew  under  the  shadow 
of  this  zamang,  but  not  the  tallest  ones.  These  were 
farther  out.  There  were  some,  however,  whose 
tufted  crowns  reached  within  a  few  yards  of  the  lower 
limbs  of  the  mimosa. 

The  monkeys,  after  a  short  consultation,  were  seen 
scamnering  up  the  zamang.  Only  some  of  the  old 
and  strong  ones  went ;  the  rest  remained  watching 
below. 

From  the  earnestness  of  their  looks  it  was  evident 
they  felt  a  lively  interest  in  the  result.  So,  too,  did 
the  party  of  travellers  ;  for  these  watched  so  closely 
that  the  pot  was  in  danger  of  boiling  over. 

The  marimondas,  having  climbed  the  trunk,  ran 
out  upon  the  lowermost  limbs  until  they  were  directly 
above  the  palms.  Then  one  or  two  were  seen  to 
drop  off  and  hang  down  by  their  tails.  But  although, 
with  their  fore  arms  at  full  stretch,  they  hung  nearly 
live  feet  from  the  branch,  they  could  not  even  touch 
the  highest  fronds  of  the  palms,  much  less  the  fruit 
clusters  that  were  ten  or  twelve  feet  farther  down 
They  made  repeated  attempts,  suspending  themselves 
over  the  very  tallest  ^alms ;  but  all  to  no  purpose. 


260  THE    MARIMONDAS. 

One  would  have  supposed  they  would  have  given 
it  up  as  a  bad  job.  So  thought  Dona  Isidora,  Leon, 
and  the  little  Leona.  Don  Pablo  knew  better  by  his 
reading,  and  Guapo  by  his  experience.  When  they 
saw  that  no  one  of  them  could  reach  the  nuts,  several 
were  seen  to  get  together  on  one  of  the  branches. 
After  a  moment  one  dropped  down  head  foremost,  as 
before,  and  hung  at  his  full  length.  Another  ran 
down  the  body  of  this  one,  and,  taking  a  turn  of  his 
tail  round  his  neck  and  fore  arm,  skipped  off  and 
also  hung  head  downwards.  A  third  joined  himself 
on  to  the  second  in  a  similar  manner,  and  then  a 
fourth.  The  fore  arms  of  the  fourth  rested  upon  the 
fruit  cluster  of  the  pupunha. 

The  chain  was  now  long  enough  for  the  purpose. 
In  a  few  minutes  the  last  monkey  on  the  cha>r  with 
his  teeth  and  hands,  had  separated  the  footstalk  of 
the  spathes,  and  the  great  clusters  —  two  of  them 
there  were  —  fell  heavily  to  the  bottom  of  the  tree. 
The  marimondas  on  the  ground  ran  forward,  and,  in 
the  midst  of  loud  rejoicings,  began  to  pull  off  the 
"  peaches"  and  devour  them. 

But  the  monkeys  above  did  not  cease  their  labors. 
There  were  many  mouths  to  feed,  and  they  wanted 
more  nuts.  Without  changing  their  position,  they, 
by  means  of  their  arms  and  legs,  threw  themselves 
into  a  vibrating  motion,  and  by  this  means  the  last  on 
the  string  soon  seized  upon  another  pupunha,  and  also 
detacned  its  fruit.  In  this  way  they  continued  until 
they  nad  stripped  every  tree  within  their  reach  ;  when, 
judging  they  had  got  enough,  the  lowermost  monkey 
climbed  back  upon  himself,  then  up  his  companions 


THE    MARIMONDAS.  261 

to  the  branch,  and  in  the  same  style  was  followed  by 
the  other  three  in  succession.  As  soon  as  they  were 
clear  of  one  another,  the  whole  party  came  down  by 
the  trunk  to  the  ground,  and  joined  their  comradei 
below  in  the  luxurious  repast 


262  THE    MONKEY    MOTHER. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

THE  MONKEY  MOTHER. 

Now,  you  will  perhaps  imagine  that  Guapo,  having 
sat  so  quiet  during  all  this  scene,  had  no  desire  for  a 
bit  of  roast  monkey  to  supper.  In  that  fancy,  then, 
you  would  be  quite  astray  from  the  truth.  Guapo 
had  a  strong  desire  to  eat  roast  marimonda  that 
very  night;  and,  had  he  not  been  held  back  by  Don 
Pablo,  he  would  never  have  allowed  the  monkeys  to 
get  quietly  out  of  the  zamang  ;  for,  it  being  an  iso- 
lated tree,  it  would  have  afforded  him  a  capital  op- 
portunity of  "  treeing "  them.  His  blow  gun  had 
been  causing  his  fingers  to  itch  all  the  time  ;  and,  as 
soon  as  Don  Pablo  and  the  rest  were  satisfied  with 
observing  the  monkeys,  Guapo  set  out,  blow  gun  in 
hand,  followed  by  Leon. 

There  was  no  cover  by  which  he  might  approach 
the  group ;  anO  therefore  no  course  was  left  for  him 
but  to  run  up  as  quickly  forward  as  possible  and  take 
his  chance  of  getting  a  shot  as  they  made  off. 

This  course  he  pursued  ;  but,  before  he  was  within 
any  thing  like  fair  range,  the  monkeys,  uttering  their 
shrill  screams,  scampered  over  the  open  ground  much 
faster  than  before,  and  took  to  the  grove  from  which 
they  had  approached  the  spot. 

Guapo  followed  at  a  slashing  pace,  and  was  soon 


THE    MONKEY    MOTHER.  263 

under  the  trees,  Leon  at  his  heels.  Here  they  were 
met  by  a  shower  of  sticks,  pieces  of  bark,  half-eaten 
u  peaches,"  and  something  that  was  far  less  pleasant 
to  their  olfactory  nerves.  All  these  came  from  the 
tops  of  the  trees,  —  the  very  tallest  ones,  —  to  which 
the  monkeys  had  retreated,  and  where  they  were  now 
hidden  among  the  llianas  and  leaves. 

You  may  fancy  that  it  is  easy  to  pursue  a  troop  of 
monkeys  in  a  forest.  But  it  is  not  easy  —  in  most 
cases  it  is  not  possible.  The  tangled  underwood 
below  puts  a  stop  to  the  chase  at  once,  as  the  mon- 
keys can  make  their  way  through  the  branches  above 
much  quicker  than  the  hunter  can  through  the  creep- 
ing plants  below. 

The  pursuit  would  have  been  all  up  with  Guapo, 
for  the  marimondas  had  soon  got  some  way  beyond 
the  edge  of  the  grove  ;  but,  just  as  he  was  turning  to 
sulk  back,  his  keen  Indian  eye  caught  sight  of  <3ne 
that  was  far  behind  the  rest  —  so  far,  indeed,  that  it 
seemed  determined  to  seek  its  safety  rather  by  hiding 
than  by  flight.  It  had  got  under  cover  of  a  bunch  of 
leaves  ;  and  there  it  lay  quiet,  uttering  neither  sound 
nor  syllable.  Guapo  could  just  see  a  little  bit  of  »ts 
side,  and  at  this  in  an  instant  the  gravatana  was 
pointed.  Guapo's  chest  and  cheeks  were  seen  to 
swell  out  to  their  fullest  extent,  and  off  went  the 
arrow.  A  shriek  followed  ;  the  monkey  was  hit, 
beyond  a  doubt.     Guapo  coolly  waited  the  result. 

A  movement  was  visible  among  the  leaves  ;  the 
marimonda  was  seen  to  turn  and  double  about,  and 
pluck  something  from  its  side  ;  and  then  the  broken 
arrow  came  glancing  among  the  twigs  and  fell  to  the 


264  THE    MONKEY   MOTHER. 

ground.  The  monkey  was  now  perceived  to  be 
twisting  and  writhing  upon  the  branches  ;  and  its 
wild  death  scream  was  answered  by  the  voices  of 
the  others  farther  of. 

At  length  its  body  was  seen  more  distinctly ;  it  no 
longer  thought  of  concealment,  but  lay  out  along  the 
limb ;  and  the  next  moment  it  dropped  off.  It  did 
not  fall  to  the  ground  though  ;  it  had  no  design  of 
gratifying  its  cruel  destroyer  to  that  extent.  No ;  it 
merely  dropped  to  the  end  of  its  tail,  which,  lapped 
over  the  branch,  held  it  suspended.  A  few  convul- 
sive vibrations  followed,  and  it  hung  down  dead. 
'  Guapo  was  thinking  in  what  way  he  might  get  it 
down  ;  for  he  knew  that,  unless  he  could  reach  it  by 
some  means,  it  would  hang  there  until  the  weather 
rotted  it  off,  or  until  some  preying  bird  or  the  tree 
ants  had  eaten  it.  He  thought  of  his  axe.  The  tree 
was  not  a  very  thick  one,  and  it  was  a  softwood  tree. 
It  would  be  worth  the  labor  of  cutting  it  down. 

He  was  about  turning  away  to  get  the  axe,  when 
his  eye  was  attracted  by  the  motion  of  some  object 
near  the  monkey. 

"  Another  !  "  he  muttered  ;  and,  sure  enough,  an- 
other—  a  little  tiny  creature  —  ran  out  from  among 
the  leaves,  and,  climbing  down  the  tail  and  body  of 
the  one  already  shot,  threw  its  arms  around  her  neck 
and  whined  piteously.  It  was  the  young  one.  Guapo 
had  shot  the  mother. 

The  sight  filled  Leon  with  pity  and  grief ;  but 
Guapo  knew  nothing  of  these  sentiments.  He  had 
already  inserted  another  arrow  into  his  gravatana, 
and  was  raising  the  tube  to  bend  it,  when  all  at  once 


THE    MONKEY    MOTHER.  265 

there  was  a  loud  rustling  among  the  leaves  above. 
A  large  marimonda,  that  had  returned  from  the  band, 
was  seen  springing  out  upon  the  branch.  He  was 
the  husband  and  father. 

He  did  not  pause  a  moment.  Instinct  or  quick 
perception  taught  him  that^the  female  was  dead.  His 
object  was  to  save  the  young  one. 

He  threw  his  long  tail  down,  and,  grasping  the 
little  creature  in  its  firm  hold,  jerked  it  upward,  and 
then,  mounting  it  on  his  back,  bore  it  off  among  the 
branches. 

All  this  passed  so  quickly  that  Guapo  had  not 
time  to  deliver  his  second  arrow.  Guapo  saw  them 
no  more. 

The  Indian,  however,  was  not  to  be  cheated  out  of 
his  supper  of  roast  monkey.  He  walked  quietly 
back  for  his  axe,  and,  bringing  it  up,  soon  felled  the 
tree,  and  took  the  marimonda  mother  with  him  to  the 
camp. 

His  next  affair  was  to  skin  it,  which  he  did  by 
stripping  the  pelt  fromr-the  head,  arms,  legs,  and  all ; 
so  that,  after  being  skinned,  the  creature  bore  a  most 
hideous  resemblance  to  a  child. 

The  process  of  cooking  came  next ;  and  this  Guapo 
made  more  tedious  than  it  might  have  been,  as  he 
was  resolved  to  dress  the  marimonda  after  the  man- 
ner practised  by  the  Indians,  and  which  by  them  is 
esteemed  the  best.  He  first  built  a  little  stage  out 
of  split  laths  of  the  pupunha  palm.  For  this  a  hard 
wood  that  will  resist  fire  a  long  time  is  necessary ; 
and  the  pupunha  was  just  the  thing.  Under  this 
stage  Guapo  kindled  a  fire  of  dry  wood     and  upon 


266  THE    MONKEY    MOTHER. 

the  laths  he  placed  his  monkey  in  a  sitting  posture 
with  its  arms  crossed  in  front  and  its  head  resting 
upon  them.  The  fire  was  then  blown  upon  until  it 
became  a  bright  blaze,  which  completely  enveloped 
the  half-upright  form  of  the  monkey.  There  was 
plenty  of  smoke  ;  but  this  is  nothing  in  the  eyes  of  a 
South  American  Indian,  many  of  whom  prefer  the 
"  smoky  flavor  "  in  a  roast  monkey. 

Guapo  had  now  no  more  to  do  but  wait  patiently 
until  the  body  should  be  reduced  to  a  black  and 
charred  mass ;  for  this  is  the  condition  in  which  it  is 
eaten  by  these  strange  people.  When  thus  cooked, 
the  flesh  becomes  so  dry  that  it  will  keep  for  months 
without  spoiling. 

The  white  people  who  live  in  the  monkey  countries 
eat  roast  monkey  as  well  as  the  Indians.  Many  of 
them,  in  fact,  grow  very  fond  of  it.  They  usually 
dress  it,  however,  in  a  different  manner.  They  take 
off  the  head  and  hands  before  bringing  it  to  the  table  ; 
so  that  the  "  childlike"  appearance  is  less  perceptible. 

Some  species  of  monkeys  are  more  delicate  food 
than  others  ;  and  there  are  some  kinds  that  white 
monkey  eaters  will  not  touch. 

As  for  the  Indians,  it  seems  with  them  to  be  "  all 
fish,"  &c.  ;  and  they  devour  all  kinds  indifferently, 
whether  they  be  "  howlers,"  or  "  ateles,"  or  "  capu- 
chins," or  "  ouistitis,"  or  "  sajous,"  or  "  sakis,"  or 
whatever  sort.  In  fact,  among  many  Indian  tribes 
monkey  stands  in  the  same  place  that  mutton  does  in 
England,  and  they  consider  it  their  staple  article  of 
flesh  meat.  Indeed,  in  these  parts  no  other  animal 
is  so  common  as  the  monkey ;  and,  with  the  excep- 


THE    MONKEY    MOTHER.  267 

tion  of  birds  and  fish,  they  have  little  chance  of  get- 
ting  any  other  species  of  animal  food.  The  best 
'4  Southdown "  would  perhaps  be  as  distasteful  to 
them  as  monkey  meat  would  be  to  you ;  so  here 
again  we  are  met  by  that  same  eternal  proverb  — 
"  Chacun  a  son  gouV 


268  AN    UNEXPECTED   GUEST. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

AN  UNEXPECTED   GUEST. 

Guapo  sat  by  the  fire  patiently  awaiting  the  "  do- 
ing "  of  the  marimonda.  The  rest  had  eaten  their 
supper,  and  were  seated  some  distance  apart.  They 
were  looking  out  upon  the  broad  river,  and  watching 
the  movements  of  the  various  birds.  They  could  see 
tall  scarlet  flamingoes  on  the  farther  shore,  and 
smaller  birds  of  the  ibis  kind.  They  could  see  the 
"  tiger  crane,"  so  called  from  its  color  and  spots  re- 
sembling the  markings  of  the  jaguar.  Among  some 
tall  canes  on  the  banks  the  "  ciganos,"  or  gypsy  birds, 
fluttered  about  with  their  great  crest,  looking  like  so 
many  pheasants,  but  far  inferior  to  these  creatures  in 
their  flesh.  In  fact,  the  flesh  of  the  "  cigano  "  is  so 
bitter  and  disagreeable  that  even  Indians  will  not 
eat  it. 

Sitting  upon  a  naked  branch  that  projected  over  the 
water,  they  noticed  the  solitary  sky-blue  kingfisher, 
(Alcedon.)  Over  the  water  swept  the  great  harpy 
eagle  —  also  a  fisher  like  his  whiteheaded  cousin  of 
the  north ;  and  now  and  then  flocks  of  muscovy 
ducks  made  the  air  resound  with  their  strong,  broad 
wings. 

They  saw  also  the  "  boatbill,"  or  "  crabeater," 
(Cancroma,)  a   curious  wading   bird   of    the   heron 


AN    UNEXPECTED    GUEST.  269 

kind,  with  a  large  bill  shaped  like  two  boats  laid  with 
their  concave  sides  against  each  other.  This,  like  the 
kingfisher,  sat  solitarily  upon  a  projecting  stump,  now 
and  then  dashing  into  the  shallow  water,  and  scoop- 
ing up  the  small  fishes,  frogs,  and  Crustacea  with  its 
huge  mandibles. 

Another  curious  bird  was  observed,  which  had 
something  of  the  appearance  of  the  water  hen  —  to 
which  kind  it  is  also  assimilated  in  its  habits.  It  was 
the  "  faithful  jacana,"  or  "  chuza,"  as  it  is  called  in 
some  places.  There  are  several  species  of  "  jacana  " 
in  South  America,  and  also  some  species  in  the  trop- 
ical countries  of  the  East.  That  known  as  the 
"  faithful  jacana "  has  a  body  about  the  size  of  a 
common  fowl  ;  but  its  legs  and  neck  are  longer,  so 
that,  when  standing,  it  is  a  foot  and  a  half  in  height. 
The  body  is  of  a  brownish  color  ;  and  there  is  a  crest 
of  twelve  black  feathers  on  the  nape  of  the  neck, 
three  inches  in  length.  At  the  bend  of  the  wings 
there  are  horny  spurs,  half  an  inch  long,  with  which 
the  bird  can  defend  itself  when  attacked.  It  is,  how- 
ever, a  pacific  bird,  and  only  uses  them  in  defence. 
The  most  singular  character  of  the  jacana  is  its  long 
toes  and  claws.  There  are  four  upon  each  foot  — 
three  in  front,  and  one  directed  backwards  ;  and,  when 
standing,  these  cover  a  base  nearly  as  large  as  the 
body  of  the  bird  ;  and,  indeed,  upon  ordinary  ground 
they  interfere  with  the  freedom  of  its  walking.  But 
these  spreading  feet  were  not  designed  for  ordinary 
ground.  They  were  given  it  to  enable  it  to  pass 
lightly  over  the  leaves  of  waterlilies,  and  other  yield- 
ing  surfaces,  through  which    a    narrow-footed   bird 


270  AN    UNEXPECTED    GUEST. 

would  at  once  sink.  Of  course,  as  Nature  designed 
them  for  this  purpose,  they  answer  admirably,  and 
the  jacana  skims  along  the  surface  of  lily-covered 
ponds  or  streams  without  sinking.  From  the  leaves 
it  picks  up  such  insects  and  larvae  as  lodge  there,  and 
which  form  its  principal  food. 

The  jacana  utters  a  singular  cry  when  alarmed. 
It  remains  silent  during  the  whole  day,  and  also  at 
night,  unless  disturbed  by  the  approach  of  some  dan- 
ger, when  it  utters  its  "  alarm  cry."  So  quick  is  its 
ear  that  it  can  detect  the  least  noise  or  rustling 
caused  by  any  one  approaching.  For  this  reason  some 
tribes  of  Indians  have  tamed  the  jacana,  and  use  it  as 
a  sentinel  or  "  watchdog,"  to  apprise  them  of  the  ap- 
proach of  their  enemies  during  the  darkness  of  the 
night.  Another  use  is  also  made  of  it  by  the  Span 
ish  Americans.  It  is  tamed  and  allowed  to  go  about 
along  with  the  domestic  poultry.  When  these  are  at- 
tacked by  hawks  or  other  birds  of  prey,  the  jacana 
defends  them  with  its  sharp  wing  spurs,  and  generally 
succeeds  in  beating  off  the  enemy.  It  never  deserts 
the  flock,  but  accompanies  it  in  all  its  movements 
and  will  defend  its  charge  with  great  fury  and  cour 
age. 

Besides  the  water  birds  which  were  noticed  by  oui 
travellers,  many  kinds  were  seen  by  them  upon  the 
shore  and  fluttering  among  the  trees.  There  were 
parrots  in  flocks,  and  macaws  in  pairs  —  for  these 
birds  usually  go  in  twos ;  there  were  trogons,  and 
great-billed  toucans,  and  their  kindred  the  aracaris ; 
and  there,  too,  were  "  umbrella  chatterers,"  of  which 
there    is  a  species  quite  white ;    and   upon   a  fruit- 


AN    UNEXPECTED   GUEST.  271 

covered  tree,  not  far  off,  they  saw  a  flock  of  the 
snow-white  "bell  birds,"  (Casmarhynchos.)  These 
are  about  as  large  as  blackbirds,  with  broad  bills, 
from  the  base  of  which  grows  a  fleshy  tubercle  that 
hangs  down  to  the  length  of  nearly  three  inches,  like 
that  of  the  turkey  cock.  The  name  of  "  bell  birds  " 
is  given  to  them  on  account  of  the  clear,  bell-like 
ring  of  their  note,  which  they  utter  about  the  middle 
of  the  day,  when  most  other  creatures  of  the  tropical 
world  are  in  silence  or  asleep. 

Of  course  Don  Pablo  as  a  naturalist  was  interested 
in  all  those  birds,  and  observed  their  habits  and  move- 
ments with  attention.  There  was  none  of  them  about 
which  he  had  not  some  strange  story  to  tell ;  and  in 
this  way  he  was  beguiling  the  after-supper  hour.  It 
was  too  early  for  them  to  go  to  rest ;  indeed,  it  was 
not  quite  sunset ;  and  Guapo  for  one  had  not  yet  had 
his  supper,  although  that  meal  was  now  very  near  at 
hand.  The  marimonda  was  becoming  charred  and 
black,  and  would  soon  be  ready  for  mastication. 

Guapo  sat  by  the  fire,  now  and  again  raking  up 
the  cinders  with  a  long  pole  which  he  held  in  his 
hand,  while  his  eyes  from  time  to  time  rested  on  the 
marimonda  that  was  directly  in  front  of  him,  vis-a-vis. 

At  length  the  monkey  appeared  to  him  to  be 
"  done  to  a  turn  ;  7  and,  with  his  machete  in  one  hand 
and  a  forked  stick  in  the  other,  he  was  just  bending 
forward  to  lift  it  off  the  fire,  when  to  his  horror  the 
ground  was  felt  to  move  beneath  him,  causing  him  to 
stagger,  and  almost  throwing  him  from  his  feet ! 
Before  he  could  recover  himself,  the  surface  again 
heaved   up,  and  a  loud    report   was  heard    like  the 


272  AN    UNEXPECTED    GUEST. 

explosion  of  some  terrible  engine  ;  then  another  up* 
heaval  —  another  report ;  the  ground  opened  into  a 
long  fissure  ;  the  staging  of  palms,  and  the  half-burned 
cinders,  and  the  charred  monkey  were  flung  in  all 
directions,  and  Guapo  himself  went  sprawling  upon 
his  back. 

Was  it  an  earthquake  ?  So  thought  the  others,  who 
were  now  on  their  feet  running  about  in  great  con- 
sternation, the  females  screaming  loudly.  So,  too, 
thought  Guapo  for  the  moment. 

Their  belief  in  its  being  an  earthquake,  however, 
was  of  short  duration.  The  shocks  continued,  the 
dried  mud  flew  about  in  large  pieces,  and  the  burned 
wood  and  splinters  were  showered  in  the  air.  The 
smoke  of  these  covered  the  spot  and  prevented  a 
clear  view ;  but  through  the  smoke  the  terrified  spec- 
tators could  perceive  that  some  large  body  was  in 
motion,  apparently  struggling  for  life.  In  another 
moment  it  broke  through  the  bending  stratum  of  mud, 
causing  a  long  rift ;  and  there  was  displayed  before 
their  eyes  the  hideous  form  of  a  gigantic  crocodile  ! 

Though  not  quite  so  terrible  as  an  earthquake,  it 
was  a  fearful  monster  to  behold.  It  was  one  of  the 
largest,  being  nearly  twenty  feet  in  length,  with  a 
body  thicker  than  that  of  a  man.  Its  immense  jaws 
were  of  themselves  several  feet  long  ;  and  its  huge 
tusks,  plainly  seen,  gave  it  a  most  frightful  appear- 
ance. Its  mouth  was  thrown  open,  as  though  it 
gasped  for  air ;  and  a  loud  bellowing  proceeded  from 
its  throat,  that  sounded  like  a  cross  between  the 
grunting  of  a  hog  and  the  lowing  of  a  bull.  The  air 
was  filled  with   a  strong    musky  odor,  which    ema« 


AN    UNEXPECTED    GUEST.  273 

natcd  from  the  body  of  the  animal  ;  and,  what  with 
the  noise  made  by  the  crocodile  itself,  the  screams 
and  shouts  of  the  party,  the  yelling  of  the  various 
birds, —  for  they,  too,  had  taken  up  the  cue,  —  there 
was  for  some  moments  an  utter  impossibility  of  any 
voice  being  heard  above  the  rest.  It  was  indeed  a 
scene  of  confusion.  Don  Pablo  and  his  companions 
were  running  to  and  fro,  Guapo  was  tumbling  about 
where  he  had  fallen,  and  the  great  lizard  was  writh- 
ing and  flapping  his  tail  ;  so  that  pots,  pans,  half- 
burned  fagots,  and  even  Guapo's  monkey,  were  being 
knocked  about  in  every  direction. 

Of  course  such  a  violent  scene  could  not  be  of 
long  duration.  It  must  end  one  way  or  the  other. 
Guapo,  who  soon  came  to  himself,  now  that  he  saw 
what  it  was  that  had  pitched  him  over,  had  already 
conceived  a  plan  for  terminating  it.  He  ran  for  his 
axe,  which  fortunately  lay  out  of  the  range  of  the 
crocodile's  tail ;  and,  having  laid  his  hands  upon  it,  he 
approached  in  a  stealthy  manner,  with  the  intention 
of  striking  a  blow.  He  directed  himself  towards  the 
root  of  the  reptile's  tail,  for  he  knew  that  that  was 
the  only  place  where  a  blow  of  the  axe  would  cripple 
it ;  but,  just  as  he  was  getting  within  reach,  the  croc- 
odile suddenly  shifted  himself  round,  making  his  tail 
fly  like  a  piece  of  sprung  whalebone.  Guapo  leaped 
hastily  back  —  as  hastily,  I  will  make  bold  to  say,  as 
any  Indian  of  his  years  could  have  done,  but  not 
quick  enough  to  clear  himself  quite.  He  wanted 
about  eight  inches  ;  but  in  this  case  inches  were  as 
good  as  miles  for  the  crocodile's  purpose  ;  for  about 
eight  inches  of  the  tip  of  his  tail  came  "  smack  ' 
18 


274  AN    UNEXPECTED    GUEST. 

across  Guapo's  naked  shins,  and  sent  the  old  Indian 
head  over  heels. 

It  was  just  an  accident  that  Guapo's  shanks  were 
not  broken  like  sticks  of  sealing  wax ;  and,  had  the 
blow  been  directed  with  the  crocodile's  full  force, 
such  would  have  been  the  unhappy  result.  As  it 
was,  they  were  only  "  scratched  ;  "  and  Guapo,  leap- 
ing to  his  feet,  ran  to  recover  his  axe  ;  for  that  weapon 
had  flown  several  yards  out  of  his  hands  at  the  blow. 

By  the  time  he  laid  hold  of  it,  however,  the  saurian 
was  no  longer  on  dry  ground.  His  newly-opened 
eyes  —  opened  perhaps  for  the  first  time  for  months 
—  caught  sight  of  the  water  close  by  ;  and,  crawling 
forward  a  step  or  two,  he  launched  his  ugly,  mud- 
bedaubed  carcass  into  the  welcome  element.  The 
next  moment  he  had  dived  and  was  out  of  sight. 


THE    CROCODILE    AND   CAriVARAS.  275 


CHAPTER   XXXVIII. 

THE    CROCODILE    AND    CAPIVARAS. 

Guapo  was  in  no  humor  for  enjoying  the  convei- 
sation  of  that  evening.  The  crocodile  had  "choused" 
him  out  of  his  favorite  supper.  The  monkey  was  lit- 
erally knocked  to  "  smithereens  ;  "  and  the  pieces  that 
still  adhered  together  were  daubed  all  over  with  mud. 
It  wasn't  fit  meat  even  for  an  Indian  ;  and  Guapo  had 
to  content  himself  with  a  dried  plantain  and  a  stew 
of  jerked  horse  flesh. 

Of  course  Don  Pablo  and  the  rest  examined  with 
curiosity  the  great  hole  in  the  mud  that  had  contained 
the  crocodile.  There  it  had  lain  during  months  of 
the  dry  season  in  a  state  of  torpidity,  and  would,  no 
doubt,  have  remained  still  longer,  but  that  it  was 
aroused  by  the  big  fire  that  Guapo  had  built  over  it. 
The  irritation  produced  by  this  had  been  the  cause 
of  its  sudden  resurrection ;  for  the  crocodiles  that 
thus  bury  themselves  usually  come  out  aft^r  the  begin- 
ning of  the  heavy  rains. 

It  was  a  true  long-snouted  crocodile,  as  Don  Pablo 
had  observed  in  the  short  opportunity  he  had  ha  I,  and 
not  an  alligator ;  for  it  must  be  here  remarked  that 
the  true  crocodile  is  found  in  many  parts  of  Spanish 
America,  and  also  in  many  of  the  West  India  islands. 
For  a  long  time  it  was  believed  that  only  alligators 


276      .  THE    CROCODILE    AND    CAPIVARAS. 

existed  in  America,  and  that  the  crocodiles  were  con 
fined  to  the  Eastern  continent.  It  is  now  known  that 
at  least  one  species  of  crocodile  is  an  American  ani- 
mal ;  and  several  distinct  species  of  alligators  are 
inhabitants  of  the  new  world.  There  is  the  alii 
gator  of  the  Mississippi,  which  is  the  "  caiman,"  or 
"  cayman,"  of  the  Spanish  Americans ;  there  is  the 
spectacled  alligator,  (A.  sclerops,)  a  southern  species, 
so  called  from  a  pair  of  rings  around  its  eyes,  having 
a  resemblance  to  spectacles  ;  and  there  is  a  still 
smaller  species  called  the  "  bava,"  which  is  found  in 
Lake  Valencia  and  in  many  South  American  rivers. 
The  last  kind  is  much  hunted  by  the  Indians,  who, 
although  they  eat  parts  of  all  these  creatures,  are 
fonder  of  the  flesh  of  the  bava  than  of  any  of  the 
others. 

They  had  not  intended  to  keep  watch  this  night,  as 
the  naked  promontoiy  seemed  to  be  a  safe  place  to 
sleep  upon  ;  but  now,  after  their  adventure  with  the 
crocodile,  they  changed  their  minds,  and  they  resolved 
to  mount  guard  as  before.  The  monster  might  easily 
crawl  out  of  the  water  again  ;  and,  judging  from  the 
size  of  "his  mouth,  it  is  not  improbable  to  suppose 
that  he  might  have  swallowed  one  of  the  smaller  indi- 
viduals of  the.  party  at  a  single  effort.  Lest  he  might 
return  to  use  cither  his  teeth  or  his  tail,  the  watch  was 
set  as  on  other  nights  —  Leon  taking  the  first  turn, 
Guapo  the  second,  and  Don  Pablo  sitting  it  out  till 
daybreak.  The  night  passed  through,  however,  with- 
out any  unusual  disturbance  ;  and,  although  an  occa- 
sional plunge  was  heard  in  the  water  close  by,  no 
more  was  seen  of  the  crocodile  until  morning. 


THE    CROCODILE    AND    CAPIVARAS.  277 

I  have  said  until  morning  —  for  he  was  seen  then. 
Yes,  indeed  !  That  beauty  was  not  going  to  let  them 
off  without  giving  them  another  peep  at  him  —  not  he ! 

They  were  awake  and  up  before  day ;  and  as  the 
fire  had  been  kept  burning  all  night,  they  had  now 
nothing  more  to  do  than  rake  up  the  embers  and  hang 
on  the  coffee  kettle.  It  was  not  yet  bright  day  when 
breakfast  was  already  cooked,  and  they  sat  down  to 
eat  it. 

While  engaged  in  this  operation  they  noticed  a 
string  of  flamingoes  on  the  muddy  promontoiy,  at 
the  end  where  it  joined  the  land.  They  were  ranged 
in  line,  like  soldiers,  some  of  them  balanced  on  one 
long,  thin  leg,  as  these  birds  do.  They  appeared  in 
the  gray  light  to  be  unusually  tall ;  but  when  it  became 
a  little  clearer  our  travellers  could  perceive  that  they 
were  not  upon  the  ground,  but  standing  upon  an  old 
log.  This,  of  course,  made  them  look  taller.  They 
were  just  in  the  very  track  by  which  Guapo  and  Leon 
had  passed  to  get  the  wood  the  evening  before.  Now, 
neither  Guapo  nor  Leon  remembered  any  log.  They 
were  certain  there  was  none  there,  else  they  would 
have  cut  it  up  for  firewood  ;  that  was  a  sure  thing ; 
and  it  was  very  mysterious  who  could  have  rolled  a 
log  there  during  the  night. 

While  discussing  this  point  it  became  clearer ;  and, 
*\o  the  astonishment  of  all,  what  they  had  taken  to  be 
an  old  log  turned  out  to  be  nothing  else  than  their 
old  friend  the  crocodile !  I  have  said  to  the  astonish- 
ment of  all ;  that  is  not  strictly  correct.  Guapo  saw 
nothing  to  astonish  him  in  that  sight.     He  had  wit 


278       THE  CROCODILE  AND  CAriVARAS. 

nessed  a  similar  one  many  a  time ;  and  so  does  every 
one  who  travels  either  on  the  Amazon  or  the  Orinoco 

These  flamingoes  were  perfectly  safe,  so  far  as 
the  crocodile  was  concerned,  and  they  knew  it.  As 
long  as  they  kept  out  of  the  reach  of  his  jaws  and 
tail  he  could  not  hurt  them.  Although  he  could  bend 
himself  to  either  side,  so  as  to  "  kiss  "  the  tip  of  his 
own  tail,  he  could  not  reach  any  part  of  his  back, 
exert  himself  as  he  might.  This  the  flamingoes  and 
other  birds  well  know  ;  and  these  creatures,  being 
fond  of  a  place  to  perch  upon,  often  avail  themselves 
of  the  long  serrated  back  of  the  crocodile,  or  the 
caiman. 

As  the  day  became  brighter  the  flamingoes  sat  still 
—  not  appearing  to  be  alarmed  by  the  movements  at 
the  camp,  which  was  about  a  hundred  yards  distant 
from  their  perch.  It  was  likely  they  had  never  been 
frightened  by  the  hunter ;  for  these  birds  in  districts 
where  they  are  hunted  are  exceedingly  shy.  All  at 
once,  however,  as  if  by  a  given  signal,  the  whole 
flock  rose  together,  and  flew  off  with  loud  screams. 
The  crocodile,  too,  was  seen  to  move  ;  but  it  was  not 
this  which  had  scared  them  off.  It  was  after  they 
had  gone  that  he  had  stirred  himself;  and,  even  had 
it  not  been  so,  they  would  not  have  regarded  his 
movements,  as  these  birds  are  often  seen  perched 
upon  a  crawling  crocodile  ! 

No.  Something  else  had  affrighted  them,  and  that 
was  a  noise  in  the  bushes  beyond,  which  was  now 
distinctly  heard  at  the  camp.  There  was  a  rustling 
of  leaves  and  a  crackling  of  branches,  as  if  more 


THE    CROCODILE    AND   CAriVARAS.  279 

than  one  c\ mature  made  the  noise.  So  it  appeared; 
for  the  next  moment  nearly  a  score  of  animals  dashed 
out  of  the  bushes  and  ran  on  towards  the  water. 

These  creatures  were  odd  enough  to  fix  the  atten- 
tion of  the  party  at  the  camp.  They  were  about  the 
size  of  small  hogs,  very  much  of  the  same  build,  and 
covered  with  a  thin,  sandy,  bristly  hair,  just  like  some 
hogs  are.  They  were  not  "  pigheaded,"  however. 
Their  heads  were  exactly  like  those  of  the  gray  rab- 
bit; and  instead  of  hoofs,  they  were  toed  and  clawed, 
This  gave  them  altogether  a  lighter  appearance  than 
hogs,  and  yet  they  did  not  run  as  fast,  although  when 
first  noticed  they  appeared  to  be  doing  their  best. 

Our  travellers  knew  them  at  once;  for  they  were 
animals  that  are  common  upon  the  rivers  in  all  the 
warm  parts  of  South  America.  They  were  "  capi- 
varas"  or  "  chiguires,"  as  they  are  also  called. 
These  creatures  are  peculiar  to  the  American  conti- 
nent. They  are,  in  fact,  "  guinea  pigs  "  on  a  large 
scale,  and  bear  the  greatest  resemblance  to  those  well- 
known  animals,  except  in  size  and  color ;  for  the 
capivaras  are  of  a  uniform  sand)  brown.  They  are 
of  the  same  genus  as  the  guinea  pigs,  though  the  sys- 
tematizes have  put  them  into  a  separate  one,  and 
have  also  made  a  third  genus  to  suit  another  ani- 
mal of  very  similar  shape  and  habits.  This  is  the 
"  moco,"  which  is  between  the  guinea  pig  and  capi- 
vara  in  size,  and  of  a  grayish-olive  color.  All  three 
are  natives  of  South  America,  and  in  their  wild  state 
are  found  only  there :  though  from  the  absurd  name, 
8  guinea  pig,"  you  may  be  led  to  think  that  this  little 
creature  came  originally  from  Africa. 


280       THE  CROCODILE  AND  CAPIVARAS. 

The  three  are  all  "  rodent "  animals,  and  the  capi- 
vara  is  the  largest "  rodent "  that  is  known.  It,  more- 
over, is  amphibious,  cuite  as  much  so  as  the  tapir; 
and  it  is  found  only  near  the  banks  of  rivers.  It  is 
more  at  home  in  the  water  than  on  dry  land,  or  per- 
haps it  has  more  numerous  enemies  on  land ;  though 
—  poor,  persecuted  creature!  —  it  is  not  without  some 
in  either  element,  as  will  be  seen  by  what  follows. 

The  drove  of  capivaras  counted  nearly  a  score  ; 
and  they  were  making  for  the  water  as  fast  as  their 
legs  could  carry  them.  The  crocodile  lay  directly 
across  their  path  ;  but  their  black  eyes,  large  and 
prominent,  seemed  to  be  occupied  with  something 
behind  ;  and  they  had  run  up  almost  against  the  body 
of  the  reptile  before  they  saw  it.  Uttering  a  sort  of 
squeak,  they  made  a  half  pause.  Some  sprang  up 
and  leaped  over ;  others  attempted  to  go  round.  All 
succeeded  except  one  ;  but  the  crocodile,  on  seeing 
their  approach,  —  no  doubt  it  was  for  this  he  had 
been  in  wait  all  the  morning, —  had  thrown  himself 
into  the  form  of  a  half  moon ;  and  as  they  passed  he 
let  fly  at  them.  His  powerful  tail  came  "  flap  " 
against  the  nearest,  and  it  was  pitched  several  yards, 
where,  after  a  kick  or  two,  it  lay  upon  its  side,  as 
dead  as  a  herring,  a  door  nail,  or  even  Julius  Caesar  • 
take  voir  choice. 


FIGHT  OF  THE  JAGUAR  AND  CROCODILE.    281 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

FIGHT  OF  THE  JAGUAR  AND  CROCODILE. 

The  chiguires  that  escaped  past  the  crocodile  thu 
next  instant  plunged  into  the  river,  and  disappearecr 
under  the  water.  They  would  come  to  the  surface 
for  breath  in  ten  or  twelve  minutes,  but  at  such  a 
distance  off  that  they  needed  no  longer  fear  pursuit 
from  the  same  enemy. 

Our  travellers  took  no  notice  of  them  from  the 
moment  they  were  fairly  out  of  the  bushes.  They 
saw  that  the  crocodile  had  knocked  one  of  them  over ; 
but  the  eyes  of  Guapo  and  Don  Pablo  were  directed 
upon  a  different  place  —  the  point  at  which  the  chi- 
guires had  sallied  out  of  the  underwood.  These 
knew  that  the  animals  had  not  issued  forth  in  their 
natural  way,  as  if  they  were  going  to  the  ^stream  to 
drink,  or  in  search  of  food.  No  —  quite  different. 
Their  bristles  were  erect  —  they  were  excited  —  they 
were  terrified  —  beyond  a  doubt  they  were  pursued  ! 

Who  or  what  was  their  pursuer  ?  It  might  be  an 
ocelot,  or  the  yaguarundi,  or  some  one  of  the  smaller 
cats ;  foi  many  of  these  prey  on  the  defenceless 
capivara.  It  might  be  one  of  these,  thought  Don 
Pablo  and  Guapo ;  but  what  if  it  was  not  ?  What 
else  could  it  be  ?     What  else  ?      The  jaguar  ! 

It  wacr  the  jaguar  !    As  they  stood  gazing  with  looks 


282    FIGHT  OF  THE  JAGUAR  AND  CROCODILE. 

full  of  apprehension,  the  leaves  of  the  underwood 
were  seen  to  move,  and  then  a  beautiful  but  terrible 
object,  the  spotted  head  of  a  jaguar,  was  thrust  forth. 
It  remained  a  moment  as  if  reconnoitring ;  and  then 
the  whole  body,  bright  and  glistening,  glided  clear  of 
the  leaves,  and  stood  boldly  out  in  front  of  the  under- 
wood. Here  it  halted  another  moment  —  only  a 
moment.  The  crocodile  had  turned  itself,  and  was 
about  closing  its  jaws  upon  the  body  of  the  chiguire, 
when  the  jaguar,  seeing  this,  uttered  a  loud  scream, 
and,  making  one  bound  forward,  seized  the  dead  ani- 
mal almost  at  the  same  instant. 

They  were  now  face  to  face  —  the  great  lizard  and 
the  great  cat ;  and  their  common  prey  was  between 
them.  Each  had  a  firm  hold  with  his  powerful  jaws, 
and  each  appeared  determined  to  keep  what  he  had 
got.  The  yellow  eyes  of  the  jaguar  seemed  to  flash 
fire,  and  the  black,  sunken  orbs  of  the  saurian  glared 
with  a  lurid  and  deadly  light.  It  was  a  terrible  pic- 
ture to  look  upon. 

For  some  seconds  both  remained  apparently  gazing 
into  each  other's  eyes,  and  firmly  holding  the  prey 
between  them.  The  tail  of  the  jaguar  vibrated  in 
sudden  angry  jerks,  while  that  of  the  crocodile  lay 
bent  into  a  semicircle,  as  if  ready  to  be  sprung  at  a 
moment's  notice. 

This  inaction  did  not  last  long.  The  fury  of  the 
jaguar  was  evidently  on  the  increase.  He  was  indig- 
nant that  he,  the  king  of  the  American  forest,  should 
thus  meet  with  opposition  to  his  will ;  and,  indeed, 
the  crocodile  was  about  the  only  creature  in  all  the 
wide  Montana  that  dare   oppose  him  in  op(  1  fight 


FIGHT  OF  THE  JAGUAR  AND  CROCODILE.    283 

But  he  was  determined  to  conquer  even  this  enemy, 
and  for  that  purpose  he  prepared  himself.  ■ 

Still  holding  on  to  the  capivara,  and  watching  his 
opportunity,  he  sprang  suddenly  forward,  throwing 
one  of  his  great  paws  far  in  advance.  His  object 
was  to  claw  the  eye  of  his  adversary  ;  for  he  well 
knew  that  the  latter  was  vulnerable  neither  upon  its 
long  snout,  nor  its  gaunt  jaws,  nor  even  upon  the 
tough  scaly  skin  of  its  throat.  Its  eyes  alone  could 
be  injured,  and  these  were  the  objects  of  the  jaguar's 
attack. 

The  thrust  was  a  failure.  The  crocodile  had  an- 
ticipated such  a  manoeuvre,  and,  suddenly  raising 
himself  on  his  fore  legs,  threw  up  one  of  his  great 
scaly  hands  and  warded  off  the  blow.  The  jaguar, 
fearing  to  be  clutched  between  the  strong  fore  arms 
of  the  saurian,  drew  back  to  his  former  position. 

This  manoeuvre  and  its  counter  manoeuvre  were 
repeated  several  times ;  and  although  each  time  the 
struggle  lasted  a  little  longer  than  before,  and  there 
was  a  good  deal  of  lashing  of  tails,  and  tearing  of 
teeth,  and  scratching  of  claws,  still  neither  of  the 
combatants  seemed  to  gain  any  great  advantage- 
Both  were  now  at  the  height  of  their  fury,  and  a  third 
enemy  approaching  the  spot  would  not  have  been 
heeded  by  either. 

From  the  first  the  head  of  the  crocodile  had  been 
turned  to  the  water,  from  which  he  was  not  distant 
over  ten  feet.  He  had,  in  fact,  been  carrying  his 
prey  towards  it  when  he  was  interrupted  by  the  attack 
of  the  jaguar  ;  and  now  at  every  fresh  opportunity 
he  was  pushing  on,  bit  by  bit,  in  that  direction.     Ho 


284    FIGHT  OF  THE  JAGUAR  AND  CROCODILE. 

knew  that  in  his  own  proper  element  he  would  be 
more  than  a  match  for  his  spotted  assailant,  and  no 
doubt  he  might  have  escaped  from  the  contest  by 
surrendering  his  prey.  Had  he  been  a  smaller  croc- 
odile he  would  have  been  only  too  glad  to  have  done 
so  ;  but  trusting  to  his  size  and  strength,  and  perhaps 
not  a  little  to  the  justice  of  his  cause,  he  was  deter- 
mined not  to  go  without  taking  the  capivara  along 
with  him. 

The  jaguar,  on  the  other  hand,  was  just  as  deter- 
mined he  should  not.  He,  too,  had  some  rights.  The 
capivara  would  not  have  been  killed  so  easily  had  he 
not  frightened  it  from  behind  ;  besides,  the  crocodile 
was  out  of  his  element.  He  was  poaching  on  the 
domain  of  the  forest  monarch. 

Bit  by  bit  the  crocodile  was  gaining  ground  —  at 
each  fresh  pause  in  the  struggle  he  was  forging  for- 
ward, pushing  the  chiguire  before  him,  and  of  course 
causing  his  antagonist  to  make  ground  backwards. 

The  jaguar  at  length  felt  his  hind  feet  in  the  water; 
and  this  seemed  to  act  upon  him  like  a  shock  of  elec- 
tricity. #AU  at  once  he  let  go  his  hold  of  the  capivara, 
ran  a  few  feet  forward,  and  then,  flattening  his  body 
along  the  ground,  prepared  himself  for  a  mighty 
spring.  Before  a  second  had  passed,  he  launched 
his  body  high  into  the  air,  and  descended  upon  the 
back  of  the  crocodile  just  over  his  fore  shoulders. 
He  did  not  settle  there,  but  ran  nimbly  down  the  ba^k 
of  the  saurian  towards  its  hinder  part,  and  his  claws 
could  be  heard  rattling  against  its  scaly  skin.  In  a 
moment  more  he  was  seen  close  squatted  along  the 
crocodile's  body,  and  with  his  teeth  tearing  fiercely 


FIGHT    OF    THE    JAGUAR    AND   CROCODILE.         285 

at  the  root  of  its  tail.  He  knew  that,  after  the  eyes, 
this  was  the  most  vulnerable  part  of  his  antagonist, 
and  if  he  had  been  allowed  but  a  few  minutes'  time 
he  would  soon  have  disabled  the  crocodile  ;  for  to 
have  seriously  wounded  the  root  of  his  tail,  would 
have  been  to  have  destroyed  his  essential  weapon  of 
ofFence. 

The  jaguar  would  have  succeeded  had  the  encoun- 
ter occurred  only  a  dozen  yards  farther  from  the 
water.  But  the  crocodile  was  close  to  the  river's 
edge,  and  perceiving  the  advantage  against  him,  and 
that  there  was'  no  hope  of  dismounting  his  adversary, 
he  dropped  the  capivara,  and,  crawling  forward, 
plunged  into  the,  water.  When  fairly  launched,  he 
shot  out  from  the  shore  like  an  arrow,  carrying  the 
jaguar  along,  and  the  next  moment  he  had  dived  to 
the  depth  of  the  stream.  The  water  was  lashed  into 
foam  by  the  blows  of  his  feet  and  tail ;  but  in  the 
midst  of  the  froth  the  yellow  tody  of  the  jaguar  was 
seen  rising  to  the  surface,  and  after  turning  once  or 
twice,  as  if  searching  for  his  hated  enemy,  the  crea- 
ture headed  for  the  bank  and  climbed  out.  He  stood 
for  a  moment  looking  back  into  the  stream.  He  ap- 
peared less  cowed  than  angry  and  disappointed.  He 
seemed  to  vow  a  future  revenge  ;  and  then  seizing 
the  half-torn  carcass  of  the  capivara,  he  threw  it 
lightly  over  his  shoulder  and  trotted  off  into  the 
thicket. 

Our  travellers  had  not  watched  this  scene  either 
closely  or  continuously.  They  had  been  too  busy  all 
the  time.  From  its  commencement  they  had  been 
doing  all  in  their  power  to  get  away  from  the  spot ; 


286   FIGHT  OF  THE  JAGUAR  AND  CROCODILE. 

for  they  dreaded  lest  the  jaguar  might  either  first 
overpower  the  crocodile  and  then  attack  them,  oi, 
being  beaten  off  by  the  latter,  might  take  it  into  his 
head  to  revenge  himself  by  killing  whatever  he  could. 
With  these  apprehensions,  therefore,  they  had  hastily 
carried  every  thing  aboard,  and,  drawing  in  their 
cable,  pushed  the  balza  from  the  shore.  When  the 
fight  came  to  an  end,  they  had  got  fairly  into  the 
current,  and,  just  as  the  jaguar  disappeared,  the  raft 
was  gliding  swiftly  down  the  broad  and  rippling 
stream. 


ADVENTURE  WITH  AN  ANACONDA.       2P7 


CHAPTER  XL. 

ADVENTURE  WITH  AN  ANACONDA. 

For  several  days  they  voyaged  down  stream,  with* 
out  any  occurrence  of  particular  interest.  Once  or 
twice  they  saw  Indians  upon  the  shore  ;  but  these,  in- 
stead of  putting  off  in  their  canoes,  seemed  fright- 
ened at  so  large  a  craft,  and  remained  by  their  "  ma- 
loccas,"  or  great  village  houses,  in  each  of  which  sev- 
eral families  live  together.  Not  caring  to  have  any 
dealings  with  them,  our  travellers  were  only  too  glad 
to  get  past  without  molestation ;  and,  therefore,  when 
they  passed  any  place  where  they  thought  they  ob- 
served the  signs  of  Indians  on  the  bank,  they  kept  on 
for  hours  after  without  stopping. 

A  curious  incident  occurred  one  evening  as  they 
were  bringing  the  balza  to  her  moorings,  which  com- 
pelled them  to  drop  a  little  farther  down  stream,  and, 
in  fact,  almost  obliged  them  to  float  all  night,  which 
would  have  been  a  dangerous  matter,  as  the  current 
at  the  place  happened  to  be  sharp  and  rapid. 

They  had  been  on  the  lookout  for  some  time  for  a 
good  camping-place,  as  it  was  their  usual  hour  to  stop. 

No  opening,  however,  appeared  for  several  miles. 
The  banks  on  both  sides  were  thickly  wooded  to  the 
river's  edge,  and  the  branches  of  the  trees  even 
drooped  into  the  water.     At  length  they  came  in  sight 


288  ADVENTURE    WITH    AN    ANACONDA. 

of  a  natural  raft  that  had  been  formed  by  driftwood  in  a 
bend  of  the  stream ;  and  as  the  logs  lay  thickly  to 
gether,  and  even  piled  upon  each  other,  it  appeared 
an  excellent  place  to  encamp  on.  It  was,  at  all 
events,  better  than  to  attempt  to  penetrate  the  thick 
'ungles  which  met  them  every  where  else  •  and  so  the 
balza  was  directed  towards  the  raft,  and  soon  floated 
alongside  it. 

They  had  already  got  ashore  on  the  raft,  which  was 
dry  and  firm,  and  would  have  served  their  purpose 
well  enough  ;  when,  all  at  once,  Guapo  was  heard 
uttering  one  of  those  exclamations  which  showed 
that  all  was  not  right.  The  rest  looked  towards  him 
for  an  explanation.  He  was  standing  by  the  edge  of 
the  floating  timber,  just  where  the  balza  touched  it, 
with  his  arms  stretched  out  in  an  attitude  that  be- 
tokened trouble.  They  all  ran  up.  They  saw  what 
was  the  matter  at  a  glance.  Thousands  of  red  ants 
were  climbing  from  the  raft  to  the  balza !  Thou- 
sands—  nay,  it  would  be  nearer  the  truth  to  say 
millions ! 

At  one  glance  Don  Pablo  saw  that  it  would  be  a 
terrible  calamity  should  these  creatures  gain  a  lodg- 
ment on  the  balza.  Not  only  were  they  the  dreaded 
stinging  ants,  but  in  a  short  time  nothing  on  board 
would  be  left.  In  a  few  hours  they  would  have  eaten 
all  his  stores  —  his  bark,  his  vanilla,  and  his  roots. 
Already  quite  a  number  had  got  upon  the  canoe,  and 
were  crossing  it  towards  the  body  of  the  balza. 

Without  saying  another  word,  he  ordered  all  to  get 
on  board  as  quickly  as  possible,  each  taking  some 
utensil  that  had  already  been  carried  on  shore.     He 


ADVENT  IRE  WITH  AN  ANACONDA.       289 

and  Guapo  flew  to  the  poles ;  and,  having  hastily 
unfastened  and  drawn  in  the  cable,  they  pushed  the 
balza  out  into  the  stream  ;  then,  while  Guapo  man- 
aged the  great  oar,  Don  Pablo,  assisted  by  Leon  and 
by  Dona  Isidora,  went  to  work  with  scoops  and  pails, 
clashing  water  upon  the  ants,  until  every  one  of  them 
had  disappeared,  drowned  in  the  canoe  or  washed 
off  into  the  river.  Fortunate  for  them,  they  had  ob- 
served this  strange  enemy  in  time.  Had  they  not 
done  so,  —  in  other  words,  had  they  gone  to  sleep, 
leaving  the  balza  where  it  was  during  the  night, — 
they  would  have  awakened  in  the  morning  to  find 
their  stores  completely  destroyed  —  their  labor  of  a 
year  brought  to  nothing  in  the  space  of  a  single 
night.  This  is  no  uncommon  occurrence  to  the  mer- 
chant or  the  colonist  of  tropical  America. 

They  had  made  a  narrow  escape,  but  a  fortunate 
one.  They  were  not  without  their  troubles,  however. 
No  open  ground  could  be  found  for  miles  below  ; 
and,  as  it  was  growing  dark,  they  approached  the 
thickly-wooded  bank,  and,  after  a  good  deal  of 
scratching  among  the  branches,  at  length  succeeded 
in  making  the  cable  fast  to  a  tree.  The  balza  then 
swung  round  and  floated  at  the  end  of  the  cable,  half 
of  it  being  buried  under  the  long,  hanging  branches. 

They  spent  their  night  on  board  ;  for  it  was  no  use 
attempting  to  get  on  shore  through  the  underwood  ; 
and  even  if  they  had,  they  could  not  have  encamped 
very  comfortably  in  a  thicket.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  balza  did  not  afford  the  best  accommodation  for 
sleeping.  The  little  "  toldo,"  or  cabin,  was  not  large 
enough  to  swing  a  hammock  in.  It  would  only 
19 


290  ADVENTURE    WITH    AN    ANACONDA. 

contain  a  few  persons  seated  close  together ;  and  it 
tyid  been  built  more  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the 
/un  off  during  the  hot  hours  of  the  day  than  fof 
sleeping  in.  The  rest  of  the  balza  was  occupied 
with  the  freight ;  and  this  was  so  arranged,  with 
sloping  sides,  thatched  with  the  bussu  leaves,  that 
there  was  no  level  place  where  one  could  repose 
upon  it.  The  night,  therefore,  was  passed  without 
very  much  sleep  having  been  obtained  by  any  one  of 
the  party.  Of  course,  the  moment  the  first  streaks 
of  day  began  to  appear  along  the  eastern  sky,  they 
were  all  awake  and  ready  to  leave  their  disagreeable 
anehorage. 

As  they  were  making  preparations  to  untie  the 
cable,  they  noticed  that  just  below  where  the  balza 
lay  a  horizontal  limb  stretched  far  out  over  the  river. 
It  was  the  lowermost  limb  of  a  large  zamang  tree 
that  stood  on  the  bank  close  to  the  edge  of  the  water. 
It  was  not  near  the  surface,  but  a  good  many  feet 
above.  Still  it  was  not  certain  that  it  was  high 
enough  for  the  roof  of  the  toldo  to  clear  it.  That 
was  an  important  question  ;  for,  although  the  current 
was  not  very  rapid  just  there,  it  was  sufficiently  so  to 
carry  the  balza  under  this  branch  before  they  could 
push  it  out  into  the  stream.  Once  the  cable  was  let 
go,  they  must  inevitably  pass  under  the  limb  of  the 
zamang ;  and,  if  that  caught  the  toldo,  it  would 
sweep  off  the  frail  roof  like  so  much  spider's  web 
This  would  be  a  serious  damage,  and  one  to  be 
avoided  if  possible. 

Don  Pablo  and  Guapo  went  to  the  end  of  the  balza 
nearest  the  branch,  and  stood  for  some  time  survey- 


ADVENTURE  WITH  AN  ANACONDA.       291 

ing  it.  It  was  about  eight  or  ton  yards  distant ;  but 
in  the  gray  dawn  they  could  not  judge  correctly  of  its 
height,  and  they  waited  till  it  grew  a  little  clearer. 
At  length  they  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  branch 
was  high  enough.  The  long  pendulous  leaves  — 
characteristic  of  this  great  mimosa  —  and  the  droop- 
ing branchlets  hung  down  much  below  the  main 
shaft  ;  but  these,  even  if  they  touched  the  roof, 
would  do  no  injury.  It  was  therefore  determined 
to  let  go  the  cable. 

It  was  now  clear  day,  for  they  had  been  delayed  a 
good  while  ;  but  at  length  all  was  ready,  and  Guapo 
untied  the  cable  and  drew  the  end  on  board.  The 
balza  began  to  move,  slowly  at  first,  for  the  current 
under  the  bushes  was  very  slight. 

All  at  once  the  attention  of  the  voyagers  was 
called  to  the  strange  conduct  of  the  pet  monkey. 
That  little  creature  was  running  to  'and  fro,  first  upon 
the  roof  of  the  toldo,  then  down  again,  all  the  while 
uttering  the  most  piercing  shrieks,  as  if  something 
was  biting  off  its  tail.  It  was  observed  to  look  for- 
ward and  upward  towards  the  branch  of  the  zamang, 
as  if  the  object  it  dreaded  was  in  that  quarter.  The 
eyes  of  all  were  suddenly  bent  in  the  same  direction. 
What  was  their  horror  on  beholding,  stretched  along 
the  branch,  the  hideous  body  of  an  enormous  ser- 
pent !  Onl^  part  of  it  could  be  seen  ;  the  hinder 
half  and  the  tail  were  hidden  among  the  broraeliaa 
and  vines  that  in  huge  masses  clustered  around  the 
trunk  of  the  zamang,  and  the  head  was  among  the 
leaflets  of  the  mimosa  ;  but  what  they  saw  was 
enough  to  convince  them  that  it  was  a  snake  of  the 


292      ADVENTURE  WITH  AN  ANACONDA. 

largest  size  —  the  great  "  water  boa  "  —  the  ana< 
conda  ! 

That  part  of  the  body  in  sight  was  full  as  thick  aa 
a  man's  thigh,  and  covered  with  black  spots,  or 
blotches,  upon  a  ground  of  dingy  yellow.  It  was  seen 
to  glisten  as  the  animal  moved  ;  for  the  latter  was  in 
motion,  crawling  along  the  branch  outward!  The 
next  moment  its  head  appeared  under  the  pendulous 
leaves ;  and  its  long,  forking  tongue,  protruding  sev- 
eral inches  from  its  mouth,  seemed  to  feel  the  air  in 
front  of  it.  This  tongue  kept  playing  backwards  and 
forwards,  and  its  viscid  covering  glittered  under  the 
sunbeam,  adding  to  the  hideous  appearance  of  the 
monster. 

To  escape  from  passing  within  its  reach  would  be 
impossible.  The  balza  was  gliding  directly  under  it. 
It  could  launch  itself  aboard  at  will  ;  it  could  seize 
upon  any  one  of  the  party  without  coming  from  the 
branch  ;  it  could  coil  its  body  around  them  and  crush 
them  with  the  constricting  power  of  its  muscles.  It 
could  do  all  this  ;  for  it  had  crushed  before  now  the 
tapir,  the  roebuck,  perhaps  even  the  jaguar  himself. 

All  on  board  the  boat  knew  its  dangerous  power 
too  well ;  and  of  course  terror  was  visible  in  every 
countenance. 

Don  Pablo  seized  the  axe,  and  Guapo  laid  hold  of 
his  machete.  Dona  Isidora,  Leon,  and  the  little 
Leona  were  standing — fortunately  they  were  —  by 
the  door  of  the  toldo  ;  and,  in  obedience  to  the  cries 
and  hurried  gestures  of  Don  Pablo  and  the  Indian, 
they  rushed  in  and  flung  themselves  down.  They 
had  scarcely  disappeared   inside  when   the   forward 


— . -^ 


ADVENTURE  WITH  AN  ANACONDA.       293 

part  of  the  balza,  upon  which  stood  Don  Pabio  and 
Guapo,  came  close  to  the  branch,  and  the  head  of  the 
serpent  was  on  a  level  with  their  own.  Both  aimed 
their  blows  almost  at  the  same  instant ;  but  their  foot- 
ing was  unsteady  ;  the  boa  "drew  back  at  the  moment, 
and  both  missed  their  aim.  The  next  moment  the 
current  had  carried  them  out  of  reach,  and  they  had 
no  opportunity  of  striking  a  second  blow. 

The  moment  they  had  passed  the  hideous  head 
again  dropped  down,  and  hung  directly  over,  as  if 
waiting.  It  was  a  moment  of  intense  anxiety  to  Don 
Pablo.  His  wife  and  children  !  Would  it  select  one 
as  its  victim  and  leave  the  others,  or 

He  had  but  little  time  for  reflection.  Already  the 
head  of  the  snake  was  within  three  feet  of  the  toldo 
door.  Its  "eyes  were  glaring ;  it  was  about  to  dart 
down. 

"  O  God,  have  mercy  ! "  exclaimed  Don  Pablo, 
falling  upon  his  knees.     "  O  God  !  " 

At  that  moment  a  loud  scream  was  heard.  It 
came  from  the  toldo ;  and  at  the  same  instant  the 
sa'imiri  was  seen  leaping  out  from  the  door.  Along 
with  the  rest,  it  had  taken  shelter  within  ;  but,  just  as 
the  head  of  the  snake  came  in  sight,  a  fresh  panic 
seemed  to  seize  upon  it,  and,  as  if  under  the  influence 
of  fascination,  it  leaped  screaming  in  the  direction 
of  the  terrible  object.  It  was  met  half  way.  The 
wide  jaws  closed  upon  it,  its  shrieks  were  stifled,  and 
the  next  moment  its  silken  body,  along  with  the  head 
of  the  anaconda,  disappeared  among  the  leaves  of 
the  mimosa.     Another  moment  passed,  and  the  balza 


294       ADVENTURE  WITH  AN  ANACONDA. 

swept  clear  of  the  branch  and  floated  triumphantly 
into  the  open  water. 

Don  Pablo  sprang  to  his  feet,  ran  into  the  toldo, 
and,  after  embracing  his  wife  and  children,  knelt 
down  and  offered  thanks  to  God  for  their  almost 
miraculous  deliverance. 


A  BATCH  OF  CURIOUS  TREES.         295 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

« 

A    BATCH    OF    CURIOUS    TREES. 

Of  course  the  escape  from  danger  so  imminent, 
after  the  first  moments  were  over,  produced  a  sort 
of  reaction  in  the  feelings  of  all,  and  they  were  now 
rather  joyous  than  otherwise.  But  with  all  there  was 
a  mixture  of  regret  when  they  thought  of  the  fate  of 
little  "  titi."  It  had  been  their  only  pet,  and  had 
grown  to  be  such  a  favorite  that  its  loss  was  now 
mourned  by  every  one ;  and  its  absence  caused  them 
to  feel  as  though  one  of  the  company  had  been  left 
behind.  Several  times  during  that  day  poor  "  titi " 
was  the  subject  of  conversation ;  indeed,  they  could 
hardly ^talk  about  any  thing  else.  Little  Leona  was 
quite  inconsolable  ;  for  the  pretty  creature  had  loved 
Leona,  and  used  to  perch  on  her  shoulder  by  the 
hour,  and  draw  her  silken  ringlets  through  its  tiny 
hand,  and  place  its  dainty  little  nose  against  the  rich 
velvet  of  her  cheek,  and  play  off  all  sorts  of  antics 
with  her  ears.  Many  an  hour  did  "  titi"  and  Leona 
spend  together.  No  wonder  that  the  creature  was 
missed. 

During  the  whole  of  that  day  they  travelled  through 
a  country  covered  with  dense  forest.  The  river  was 
a  full  half  mile  wide ;  but  sometimes  there  were  islands, 


296         A  BATCH  OF  CURIOUS  TREES. 

and  then  the  current  became  narrowed  on  each  side, 
so  that,  in  passing,  the  balza  almost  touched  the  trees 
on  one  side  or  the  other.  They  saw  many  kinds  of 
trees  growing  together,  and  rarely  a  large  tract  cov- 
ered with  any  one  species  of  timber ;  for  this,  as 
already  remarked,  is  a  peculiarity  of  the  Amazon 
forests.  Many  new  and  curious  trees  were  noticed, 
oc  which  Don  Pablo  gave  short  botanical  descriptions 
to  the  others,  partly  to  instruct  them  and  partly  to 
while  away  the  hours.  Guapo,  at  the  rudder,  listened 
to  these  learned  lectures,  and  sometimes  added  some 
information  of  his  own  about  the  properties  of  the 
trees,  and  the  uses  to  which  they  were  put  by  the 
Indians.  This  is  what  is  termed  the  popular  part  of 
the  science  of  botany ;  and  perhaps  it  is  more  impor- 
tant than  the  mere  classification  of  genera  and  species, 
which  is  usually  all  the  information  that  you  get  from 
the  learned  and  systematic  botanists. 

Among  the  trees  passed  to-day  was  one  called  the 
"  volador,"  (gyrocarpus.)  This  is  a  large  forest  tree, 
with  lobed  leaves,  of  a  heart  shape.  But  it  is  the 
seeds  which  are  curious,  and  which  give  to  the  tree 
the  odd  name  of  "  volador,"  or  "  flier.'"  These  seeds 
have  each  a  pair  of  membranaceous  and  striated 
wings,  which,  when  the  seeds  fall,  are  turned  to  meet 
the  air  at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees ;  and  thus  a 
rotatory  motion  is  produced,  and  the  falling  seeds  turn 
round  and  round  like  little  fly  wheels.  It  is  altogether 
a  curious  sight,  when  a  large  volador  is  shaken  in 
calm  weather,  to  see  the  hundreds  of  seeds  whirling 
and  wheeling  towards  the  ground,  which  they  take  a 


A  BATCH  OF  CURIOUS  TREES.        297 

considerable  time  in  reaching.  The  volador  is  not 
confined  to  South  America ;  I  have  seen  it  in  Mexico 
and  other  parts  of  North  America. 

Another  singular  tree  noticed  was  a  tree  of  the 
barberry  family,  (berberis,)  known  among. the  Span- 
ish Americans  as  larba  de  tigre,  or  "  tiger's  beard." 
This  name  it  derives  from  the  fact  of  its  trunk  — 
which  is  very  large  and  high  —  being  thickly  set  all 
over  with  sharp  branching  thorns,  that  are  fancied  to 
resemble  the  whiskers  of  the  jaguar,  or  South  Amer- 
ican "  tiger." 

A  third  remarkable  tree  (or  bush)  observed  was 
the  Bixa  orellana,  which  yields  the  well-known 
arnatto  dye.  This  bush  is  ten  or  twelve  feet  in 
height,  and  its  seeds  grow  in  a  burlike  pericarp. 
These  seeds  are  coyered  with  a  reddish  pulp,  which 
produces  the  dye.  The  mode  of  making  it  is  simple. 
The  Indian  women  throw  the  seeds  into  a  vessel  of 
hot  water,  and  stir  them  violently  for  about  an  hour, 
until  they  have  taken  off  the  pulp.  The  water  is 
then  poured  off,  and  the  deposit,  separated  from  the 
seeds,  is  mixed  with  oil  of  turtle  eggs,  or  crocodile 
fat,  and  kneaded  into  cakes  of  three  or  four  ounces* 
weight.  It  is  then  "  anoto,"  sometimes  written  "  arnat- 
to," sometimes  "  arnotto,"  sometimes  "  onoto,"  and 
sometimes  "  anato."  The  first  is  the  proper  spell- 
ing. In  Brazil  it  is  called  "  urucu,"  whence  the 
French  name  "  rocou  ; "  and  the  Peruvians  have  still 
another  designation  for  it  —  "  achote."  Of  course  each 
tribe  of  Indians  calls  it  by  a  separate  name.  The 
botanic  name,  Bixa,  is  the  ancient  name  by  which  it 


298  A    BATCH    OF    CURIOUS    TREES. 

was  known  to  the  Indians  of  Hayti ;  for  it  is  found  in 
most  parts  of  tropical  America  growing  wild,  although 
it  is  also  cultivated.  It  is  an  article  in  great  demand 
among  all  the  Indians  of  South  America,  who  use  it 
for  painting  their  bodies  and  dyeing  the  cotton  cloth 
of  which  they  make  their  garments. 

But  these  people  are  very  skilful  in  drawing  pig- 
ments from  plants  and  trees  of  many  kinds ;  in  fact, 
their  practical  chemistry,  so  far  as  it  relates  to  dye3 
and  poisons,  is  quite  surprising  ;  and  from  time  to 
time  Guapo  pointed  out  trees  that  were  used  by  them 
for  such  purposes. 

One  was  a  climbing  plant,  whose  tendrils  reached 
to  the  tops  of  the  highest  trees.  It  had  beautiful  vio- 
let-colored flowers,  an  inch  long  ;  and  Don  Pablo  saw 
that  it  was  a  species  of  hignonxti.  Guapo  called  it 
"  chica."  When  in  fruit,  it  carries  a  pod  two  feet  in 
length,  full  of  winged  seeds.  But  Guapo  said  it  was 
not  from  the  seeds  that  the  dye  was  obtained,  but 
from  the  leaves,  which  turn  red  when  macerated  in 
water.  The  coloring  matter  comes  out  of  the  leaves 
in  the  form  of  a  light  powder,  and  is  then  shaped 
into  cakes,  which  sell  among  the  Indians  for  the  value 
of  a  dollar  each.  This  color  has  a  tinge  of  lake  in 
it,  and  is  prized  even  more  highly  than  the  anoto. 
Indeed  red  dyes  among  all  savage  nations  seem  to 
hold  a  higher  value  than  those  of  any  other  color. 

Another  dye  tree  was  the  "  huitoc."  This  one  is 
a  slender  tree,  about  twenty  feet  high,  with  broad 
leaves  shooting  out  from  the  stem,  and  nuts  growing 
at  their  bases,  after  the  manner  of  the  bread  fruit, 


'A    BATCn    OF    CURIOUS    TREES.  29f) 

These  nuts  resemble  black  walnuts,  and  are  of  a 
mssct  color  outside  ;  but  the  pulp  inside,  which  pro- 
duces the  huitoc,  is  of  a  dark-blue,  or  purple  tint. 

The  "  wild  indigo  tree  "  was  also  seen  growing  in 
the  woods,  with  a  leaf  narrow  at  the  base  and  broad 
at  the  extremity.  With  these  and  many  other  dyes 
!he  Indians  of  the  Montana  paint  their  bodies  in  fan 
tastic  modes.  So  much  are  they  addicted  to  these 
customs,  that,  among  the  Indians  who  labor  at  the 
missions,  some  have  been  known  to  work  nearly*  a 
month  to  procure  paint  enough  to  give  their  body  a 
single  coat,  and  the  missionaries  have  made  a  mer- 
chandise of  this  gigantic  folly.  But  the  paint  is  not 
always  to  be  looked  upon  in  the  light  of  a  mere  folly 
or  vanity.  Sometimes  it  is  used  to  keep  off  the 
"  zancudos,"  or  mosquitoes,  so  numerous  and  annov 
ing  in  these  regions. 

Another  singular  tree  was  observed,  which  Guapo 
called  the  "  marima,"  or  "shirt  tree."  The  use  of 
this  he  explained.  The  tree  stands  fifty  or  sixty  feet 
high,  with  a  diameter  of  from  two  to  three.  When 
they  find  them  of  this  size  the  Indians  cut  them 
down,  and  then  separate  the  trunk  into  pieces  of 
about  three  feet  long.  From  these  pieces  they  strip 
the  bark,  but  without  making  any  longitudinal  incis- 
ion, so  that  the  piece  of  bark  when  taken  off  is  a 
hollow  cylinder.  It  is  thin  and  fibrous,  of  a  red 
color,  and  looks  like  a  piece  of  coarsely- woven  sack- 
cloth. With  this  the  shirt  is  made,  simply  by  cutting 
two  holes  in  the  sides  to  admit  the  arms  ;  and  the 
body  being  passed  into  it,  it  is  worn  in  time  of  rain. 
Hence  the  saying  of  the  old  missionaries,  that  in  the 
• 


300        A  BATCH  OF  CURIOUS  TREES 

"  forests  of  America  garments  were  found  ready 
made  on  the  trees." 

Many  other  trees  were  noticed,  valuable  for  theii 
fruits,  or  leaves,  or  bark,  or  roots,  or  their  wood. 
There  was  the  well-known  "  seringa,"  or  India  rub- 
ber tree ;  the  great  courbaril,  the  "  dragon's  blood  " 
tree,  not  that  celebrated  tree  of  the  East,  (Dracana,) 
but  one  of  a  different  genus,  (Croton,)  from  whoso 
white  bark  flows  a  red,  bloodlike  juice. 

They  saw,  also,  a  species  of  cinnamon  tree,  (Lau- 
ras cinnamonoides,)  though  not  the  cinnamon  of 
commerce ;  the  large  tree  that  bears  the  Brazilian 
nutmeg,  (the  Puxiri;)  and  that  one,  also,  —  a  large 
forest  tree,  —  that  bears  the  nuts  known  as  "  Tonka 
beans,"  and  which  are  used  in  the  flavoring  of  snuff. 

But  of  all  the  trees  which  our  travellers  saw  on 
that  day,  none  made  such  an  impression  upon  them  as 
the  "  juvia,"  or  Brazil  nut  tree,  (Bertholletia  excelsa.) 
This  tree  is  not  one  with  a  thick  trunk  ;  in  fact,  the 
largest  ones  are  not  three  feet  in  diameter ;  but  it 
rises  tc  a  height  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet. 
Its  trunk  is  branchless  for  more  than  half  that  height, 
and  the  branches  then  spread  out  and  droop,  like  the 
fronds  of  the  palm.  They  are  naked  near  their 
bases,  but  loaded  towards  the  top  with  tufts  of  sil- 
very-green leaves,  each  two  feet  in  length.  The  tree 
does  not  blossom  until  its  fifteenth  year,  and  then  it 
bears  violet-colored  flowers  ;  although  there  is  another 
species,  the  "  sapucaya,"  which  has  yellow  ones. 
But  it  is  neither  the  trunk,  nor  the  branches,  nor  the 
leaves,  nor  yet  the  flowers  of  this  tree  that  render 
it  such  an  object  of  curiosity.     It  is  the  great  woody 


A  BATCH  OF  CURIOUS  TREES.         301 

and  spherical  pericarps  that  contain  the  nuts  or  fruitg 
that  are  wonderful.  These  are  often  as  large  as  the 
head  of  a  child,  and  as  hard  as  the  shell  of  the 
cocoa  nut !  Inside  is  found  a  farge  number  —  twenty 
or  more  —  of  these  triangular-shaped  nuts  which 
you  may  buy  at  any  Italian  warehouse  under  th# 
name  of  "  Brazil  nuts." 


302  THE    FOREST    FESTIVAL. 


CHAPTER  XLII. 

THE   FOREST  FESTIVAL. 

In  consequence  of  their  having  rested  but  poorly 
on  the  preceding  night,  it  was  determined  that  they 
should  land  at  an  early  hour ;  and  this  they  did, 
choosing  an  open  place  on  the  shore.  It  was  a  very 
pretty  spot,  and  they  could  see  that  the  woods  in  the 
background  were  comparatively  open,  as  though  there 
were  some  meadows  or  prairies  between.  These 
openings,  however,  had  been  caused  by  fire.  There 
had  been  a  growth  of  cane.  It  had  been  burned  off, 
and  as  yet  was  not  grown  up  again,  though  the  young 
reeds  were  making  their  appearance  like  a  field  of 
green  wheat.  In  some  places,  and  especially  near  the 
river,  the  ground  was  still  bare.  This  change  in  the 
landscape  was  quite  agreeable  to  our  travellers,  so 
much  so  that  they  resolved  to  exercise  their  limbs  by 
taking  a  short  stroll ;  and,  having  finished  their  late 
dinner,  they  set  out.  They  all  went  together,  leaving 
the  balza  and  camp  to  take  care  of  themselves. 

After  walking  a  few  hundred  yards  their  ears  were 
assailed  by  a  confused  noise,  as  if  all  the  animals  in 
the  forest  had  met  and  were  holding  a  conversazione. 
Some  low  bushes  prevented  them  from  seeing  what 
it  meant ;  but,  on  pushing  their  way  through,  they 
saw  whence  and  from  what  sort  of  creatures  the  noise 
proceeded. 


THE    FOEEST    FESTIVAL.  303 

Standing  out  in  the  open  ground  was  a  large  and 
tall  juvia  tree.  Its  spreading  branches  were  loaded 
with  great  globes  as  big  as  human  heads — each  one, 
of  course,  full  of  delicious  nuts.  These  were  now 
ripe,  and  some  of  them  had  already  fallen  to  the 
ground. 

Upon  the  ground  an  odd  scene  presented  itself  to 
the  eyes  of  our  travellers.  Between  birds  and  ani- 
mals assembled  there,  there  were  not  less  than  a 
dozen  kinds,  all  as  busy  as  they  could  be. 

First,  then,  there  were  animals  of  the  rodent  kind. 
These  were  pacas,  (Ccelo genus  paca,)  agoutis,  (Chlo- 
romys,)  and  capivaras.  The  pacas  were  creatures  a 
little  larger  than  hares,  and  not  unlike  them,  except 
that  their  ears  were  shorter.  They  were  whitish  on 
the  under  parts,  but  above  were  of  a  dark-brown 
color,  with  rows  of  white  spots  along  each  side. 
They  had  whiskers  like  the  cat,  consisting  of  long 
white  bristles  ;  and  their  tails,  like  those  of  hares, 
were  scarcely  visible.  The  agoutis  bore  a  considera- 
ble resemblance  to  the  pacas.  Like  these,  they  are 
also  rodent  animals,  but  less  in  size  ;  and,  instead  of 
being  spotted,  they  are  of  a  nearly  uniform  dark 
color,  mixed  with  reddish  brown.  Both  pacas  and 
agoutis  arc  found  in  most  parts  of  tropical  America. 
There  are  several  species  of  each,  and  with  the  chin- 
chillas and  viscachas,  already  described,  they  occupy 
the  place  in  those  regions  that  the  hares  and  rabbits 
do  in  northern  climates.  Indeed,  European  settlers 
usually  know  them  by  the  names  of  hare,  or  rabbit, 
and  hunt  them  in  the  same  way.  The  flesh  of  most 
species    is   very   good   eating,  and   they  are,  there- 


804  THE    FOREST    FESTIVAL. 

fore,  much  sought  after  both  by  the  natives  and  co!« 
onists. 

Along  with  these,  near  the  juvia  tree,  were  several 
capivaras,  already  noticed.  But  still  more  singular 
creatures  on  the  ground  were  the  monkeys.  Of  these 
there  were  different  kinds  ;  but  that  which  first  drew 
the  attention  of  our  party  was  the  great  Capuchin 
monkey,  (Brachyunis  chiropotes.)  This  creature  is 
not  less  than  three  feet  in  height,  and  of  a  reddish- 
maroon  color.  Its  body  is  entirely  different  from  the 
"  ateles  "  monkeys,  being  stouter  and  covered  with  a 
fuller  coat  of  hair  ;  and  its  tail  is  large  and  bushy, 
without  any  prehensile  power.  It  is,  in  fact,  less  of 
a  tree  monkey  than  the  ateles,  although  it  also  lives 
among  the  branches.  The  most  striking  peculiarities 
of  the  Capuchin  are  its  head  and  face.  In  these  it 
bears  a  stronger  resemblance  to  the  human  being  than 
any  other  monkey  in  America.  The  top  of  its  head 
is  covered  with  a  crop  of  coarse  hair,  that  lies  some- 
what after  the  fashion  of  human  hair  ;  but,  what  most 
contributes  to  the  human  expression  is  a  large  full 
beard  and  whiskers  reaching  down  to  the  breast,  and 
arranged  exactly  after  the  fashion  of  the  huge  beards 
worn  by  Orientals  and  some  Frenchmen.  There  were 
only  two  of  these  Capuchins  on  the  ground  —  a  male 
and  female  —  for  this  species  does  not  associate  in 
bands.  The  female  one  was  easily  distinguished  by 
her  smaller  size,  and  her  beard  was  considerably  less 
than  that  of  the  male.  The  beards  seemed  to  be 
objects  of  special  attention  with  both  —  especially  the 
male ;  as  every  now  and  then  he  was  observed  to 
stroke  it  down  with  his  hand,  just  as  a  dandy  may  be 


THE    FOREST    FESTIVAL.  31 

seen  doing  with  bis  mustache  or  his  well-brushed 
whiskers. 

Another  peculiar  habit  of  the  Capuchins  was  no- 
ticed.  There  was  a  little  pool  of  water  close  by. 
Every  now  and  then  they  ran  to  this  pool  and  took  a 
drink  from  it.  But  in  drinking  they  did  not  apply 
their  lips  to  the  pool,  or  lap  like  a  dog.  No  ;  they 
lifted  the  water  in  the  hollow  of  their  hands  —  hence 
their  specific  name  of  chiropotes,  or  "  hand-drinking 
monkeys."  They  raised  the  water  to  their  lips  with 
great  care,  taking  pains  not  to  let  a  drop  of  it  fall 
on  their  precious  beards.  From  this  habit  of  going 
so  often  to  quench  their  thirst,  the  Capuchin  monkeys 
have  in  some  parts  got  the  name  of  "  hard-drinking 
monkeys." 

Apart  from  these  was  a  troop  of  monkeys  of  a 
very  different  species.  They  were  nearly  of  the 
same  size,  but  more  of  the  shape  of  the  "  ateles ; " 
and  their  long  tails,  naked  underneath  and  curling 
downward  near  the  points,  showed  that,  like  them, 
too,  they  possessed  prehensile  power  in  that  member. 
Such  was  the  fact,  for  they  were  "  howling  mon- 
keys ;  "  and  some  species  of  these  can  use  the  tail 
almost  as  adroitly  as  the  "  ateles  "  themselves.  Those 
that  our  travellers  saw  were  the  "  guaribas,"  nearly 
black  in  color,  but  with  their  hands  covered  with  yel- 
low hair  —  whence  their  name  among  the  naturalists 
of  "  yellow-handed  howler,"  (Stentor  flavimanus.) 
They  were  seated  in  a  ring  when  first  observed,  and 
one  —  apparently  the  chief  of  the  band  —  was  ha- 
ranguing the  rest  ;  but  so  rapid  were  his  articulations, 
and  so  changeable  the  tones  of  his  voice,  that  any 
20 


306  THE    FOREST    FESTIVAL. 

ono  would  have  thought  the  whole  party  were  chat' 
tering  together.  This,  in  effect,  did  occur  at  inter- 
vals, and  then  you  might  have  heard  them  to  the 
distance  of  more  than  a  -mile.  These  creatures  are 
enabled  to  produce  this  vast  volume  of  voice  in  con- 
sequence of  a  hollow,  bony  structure  at  the  root  of 
the  tongue,  which  acts  as  a  drum,  and  which  gives 
them 'the  appearance  of  a  swelling,  or  goitre,  in  the 
throat.  This  is  common  to  all  the  howling  monkeys, 
as  well  as  the  guaribas. 

Besides  the  howlers  there  were  other  species  — 
there  were  tamarins,  and  ouistitis,  and  the  black 
coaitas  of  the  genus  "  atcles,"  all  assembled  around 
the  juvia  tree.  There  were  parrots,  and  macaws, 
and  other  nut-eating  birds.  High  above  in  the  air 
soared  the  great  eagle,  watching  his  opportunity  to 
swoop  down  on  the  pacas  or  agoutis,  his  natural 
prey.  It  was  altogether  a  singular  assemblage  of 
wild  animals  —  a  zoological  garden  of  the  wilder- 
ness. 

Our  party,  concealed  by  bushes,  looked  on  for 
some  time.  They  noticed  that  not  one  of  all  the 
living  things  was  under  the  tree.  On  the  contrary, 
they  formed  —  monkeys,  cavies,  parrots,  and  all  —  a 
sort  of  ring  around  it,  but  at  such  distance  that  none 
of  the  branches  were  above  them.  Why  was  this  ? 
Guapo  knew  the  reason  well,  and  before  leaving  their 
place  of  observation  the  others  had  an  explanation 
of  it. 

While  they  stood  gazing,  one  of  the  great  globes 
was  seen  to  fall  from  the  tree  above.  The  loud  re- 
port as  it  struck  the  earth  could  have  been  heard  a 


thj:    FOREST    FESTIVAL.  307 

long  way  off.  It  caused  the  whole  assemblage  of 
living  creatures  to  start.  The  macaws  flapped  their 
wings,  the  monkeys  ran  outward  and  then  stopped, 
and  a  simultaneous  cry  from  the  voices  of  both  birds 
and  beasts  echoed  on  all  sides  ;  and  then  there  was  a 
general  chattering  and  screaming,  as  though  the  fall 
cf  the  great  pericarp  had  given  pleasure  to  all  parties. 

It  was  very  evident  from  this  circumstance  why 
both  beasts  and  birds  kept  so  far  out  from  the  tree. 
One  of  these  fruits  coming  down  like  a  nine-pound 
shot  would  have  crushed  any  of  them  to  atoms.  In- 
deed, so  heavy  are  they,  that  one  of  them  falling  from 
a  height  of  fifty  or  sixty  feet  will  dash  out  the  brains 
of  a  man ;  and  the  Indians  who  gather  them  go 
under  the  trees  with  great  wooden  helmets  that  cover 
both  the  head  and  shoulders.  It  would  be  no  boy's 
play  to  "  go  a  nutting"  in  a  wood  of  juvia  trees. 

But  how  did  the  monkeys  .and  birds  get  at  the  nuts  ? 
Neither  of  these  could  break  open  the  outer  shell. 
This  is  full  half  an  inch  thick,  and  so  hard  that  it  can 
scarcely  be  cut  with  a  saw.  How  could  either  mon- 
keys or  birds  open  it  ?  That  was  the  question  put 
to  Guapo. 

"  Watch  them,"  said  Guapo. 

All  kept  their  eyes  bent  attentively  on  what  was 
going  on  ;  and,  to  their  astonishment,  they  observed 
that  neither  the  monkeys  nor  the  birds  had  any  thing 
to  do  with  the  opening  of  the  shells.  That  was  en- 
tirely the  work  of  the  rodent  animals  —  the  pacas, 
cavies,  and  agoutis.  These  with  their  fine  cutting 
teeth  kiid  open  the  thick  pericarps  ;  and  whenever 
r   e  was  seen  to  have  succeeded,  and  the  triangular 


308  THE    FOREST    FESTIVAL. 

nuts  were  scattered  upon  the  ground,  then  there  was 
a  general  rush,  and  macaws,  parrots,  and  monkeys 
scrambled  for  a  share.  The  monkeys,  however,  did 
their  part  of  the  work.  Whenever  a  fruit  fell  from 
the  tree,  one  or  two  of  them,  deputed  by  the  others, 
were  seen  to  run  in  and  roll  it  out,  all  the  while  ex- 
hibiting symptoms  of  great  terror.  They  would  then 
lift  it  in  their  hands,  several  of  them  together,  and 
dash  it  repeatedly  upon  a  stone.  Sometimes,  when 
the  shell  was  not  a  strong  one,  they  succeeded  in 
breaking  it  in  this  way ;  but  oftener  they  were  not 
able,  and  then  it  was  left  to  the  rodent  animals,  who 
were  watched  at  their  operations,  and  usually  robbed 
of  the  fruits  of  their  labor.  Such  were  the  singular 
incidents  witnessed  at  this  festival  of  juvia  nuts. 

But  the  scene  was  brought  to  a  sudden  termination. 
A  cry  was  heard  that  rose  far  above  all  the  other 
noises  —  a  cry  more  terrible  than  the  screams  of  the 
parrots,  or  the  shrieks  of  the  howling  monkeys  —  it 
was  the  cry  of  the  jaguar.  It  came  from  a  piece  of 
woods  close  to  the  juvia  tree,  and  the  branches  were 
heard  to  crackle  as  the  dreaded  utterer  advanced. 

In  a  moment  the  ground  was  cleared  of  every  crea- 
ture. Even  the  winged  birds  had  flown  up  from  the 
spot  and  perched  upon  the  branches  ;  the  cavies  took 
to  the  water ;  the  pacas  and  agoutis  to  their  bur- 
rows ;  and  the  monkeys  to  the  tops  of  the  adjacent 
trees ;  and  nothing  remained  on  the  ground  but  the 
empty  shells  of  the  juvias. 

Our  party  did  not  stay  to  notice  the  change.  They, 
too,  had  been  warned  by  the  roar  of  the  tiger,  and, 
hastily  leaving  the  spot,  returned  to  their  place  of 


THE    FOREST    FESTIVAL.  309 

encampment.  On  reaching  it,  they  kindled  a  large 
circle  of  fire  to  keep  them  in  safety  during  the  night. 
They  saw  no  more  of  the  jaguar,  although  at  inter- 
vals through  the  midnight  hours  they  were  awakened 
by  his  loud  and  savage  cry  resounding  through  the 
openings  of  the  forest. 


310  ACRES    OF    EGGS. 


CHAPTER   XLTII. 


ACRES   OF  EGGS. 


The  next  evening  our  travellers  encamped  on  a 
sandbar,  or  rather  a  great  bank  of  sand,  that  ran  for 
miles  along  one  side  of  the  river.  Of  course  they 
had  nothing  to  hang  their  hammocks  to  ;  but  that  was 
a  matter  of  no  importance  ;  for  the  sand  was  dry  and 
soft,  and  of  itself  would  make  a  comfortable  bed,  as 
pleasant  to  sleep  on  as  a  hair  mattress.  They  only 
wanted  wood  enough  to  cook  with  and  to  keep  up 
their  fire  during  the  night,  so  as  to  frighten,  off  the 
wild  beasts. 

This  night  they  kept  watch  as  usual,  Leon  taking 
the  first  turn.  In  fact,  they  found  that  they  must  do 
so  every  night  —  as  in  each  of  the  camps  where  they 
had  slept  some  danger  had  threatened ;  and  they 
thought  it  would  be  imprudent  for  all  to  go  to  sleep 
at  the  same  time.  The  heaviest  part  of  the  sentinel's 
duty  fell  to  Guapo's  share  ;  but  Guapo  had  long  ac- 
customed himself  to  go  without  sleep,  and  did  not 
mind  it;  moreover  Don  Pablo  took  longer  spells  at 
the  stern  oar  during  the  day,  and  allowed  Guapo 
many  a  "  cat  nap." 

Leon  seated  himself  upon  a  pile  of  sand  that  he 
had  gathered  up,  and  did  his  best  to  keep  awake  ; 
but  in  about  an  hour  after  the  rest  were  asleep  he 


ACRES    OF    EGGS.  311 

felt  very  drowsy  —  in  fact,  quite  as  much  so  as  on 
the  night  of  the  adventure  with  the  vampire.  He 
used  pretty  much  the  same  means  to  keep  himself 
awake,  but  not  with  so  good  success  ;  for  on  this  oc- 
casion lie  fell  into  a  nap  that  lasted  nearly  half  an 
hour,  and  might  have  continued  still  longer  had  he 
not  slid  down  the  sand  hill  and  tumbled  over  on  his 
side.  This  awoke  him  ;  and  feeling  vexed  with  him- 
self, he  rubbed  his  eyes  as  if  lie  was  going  to  push 
them  deeper  into  their  sockets. 

When  this  operation  was  finished,  he  looked  about 
to  see  if  any  creature  had  ventured  near.  He  first 
^oked  towards  the  woods  —  for  of  course  that  was 
the  direction  from  which  the  tigers  would  come,  and 
these  were  the  only  creatures  he  feared  ;  but  he  had 
scarcely  turned  himself  when  he  perceived  a  pair  of 
eyes  glancing  at  him  from  the  other  side  of  the  fire. 
Close  to  them  another  pair,  then  another  and  another  ; 
until,  having  looked  on  every  side,  he  saw  himself  sur- 
rounded by  a  complete  circle  of  glancing  eyes  !  It 
is  true  they  were  small  ones,  and  some  of  the  heads 
which  he  could  see  by  the  blaze  were  small.  They 
were  not  jaguars,  but  they  had  an  ugly  look  —  they 
looked  like  the  heads  of  serpents.  Was  it  possible 
that  a  hundred  serpents  could  have  surrounded  the 
camp  ? 

Brought  suddenly  to  his  feet,  Leon  stood  for  some 
moments  uncertain  how  to  act.  He  fully  believed 
they  were  snakes  —  anacondas  or  water  snakes,  na 
doubt  —  that  had  just  crept  out  of  the  river;  and  he 
felt  that  a  movement  on  his  part  would  bring  on  their 
united  and   simultaneous   attack    upon    the    sleeping 


312  ACRES    OF    EGGS. 

party.  Partly  influenced  by  this  fear,  and  again  ex 
hibiting  that  coolness  and  prudence  which  we  have 
already  noticed  as  a  trait  of  his  character,  he  re- 
mained for  some  moments  silent  and  motionless. 
Having  already  risen  to  his  feet,  his  eyes  were  now 
above  the  level  of  the  blaze ;  and,  as  they  got  the 
sleep  well  scared  out  of  them,  he  could  see  things 
more  distinctly.  He  now  saw  that  the  snakelike 
heads  were  attached  to  large  oval-shaped  bodies, 
and  that,  besides  the  half  hundred  or  so  that  had 
gathered  around  the  fires,  there  were  whole  droves  of 
the  same  upon  the  sandy  beach  beyond.  The  white 
surface  was  literally  covered  as  far  as  he  could  see 
on  all  sides  of  him  with  black  moving  masses :  and 
where  the  rays  of  the  moon  fell  upon  the  beach  there 
was  a  broad  belt,  that  glistened  and  sparkled  as  though 
she  shone  upon  pieces  of  glass  kept  constantly  in 
motion ! 

A  singular  sight  it  was,  and  to  Leon,  who  had 
never  heard  of  such  before,  a  most  fearful  one.  For 
the  life  of  him  he  could  not  make  out  what  it  all 
meant,  or  by  what  sort  of  odd  creatures  they  were 
surrounded.  He  had  but  an  indistinct  view  of  them, 
but  he  could  see  that  their  bodies  were  not  larger 
than  those  of  a  small  sheep ;  and  from  the  way  in 
which  they  glistened  under  the  moon,  he  was  sure 
they  were  water  animals  and  had  come  out  of  the 
river. 

He  did  not  stay  to  speculate  any  longer  upon  them. 
He  resolved  to  wake  Guapo ;  but  in  doing  so  the 
whole  party  were  aroused,  and  started  to  their  feet  in 
some  alarm  and  confusion.     The  noise  and  movement 


ACRES    OF    EGGS.  313 

nad  its  effect  on  the  nocturnal  visitors ;  for,  before 
Leon  could  explain  himself,  those  immediately  around 
the  fires,  and  for  some  distance  beyond,  rushed  to  the 
edge,  and  were  heard  plunging  by  hundreds  into  the 
water. 

Guapo's  ear  caught  the  sounds,  and  his  eye,  now 
ranging  along  the  sandy  shore,  took  in  at  a  glance 
the  whole  thing. 

"  Carapas,"  he  said,  laconically. 

"  Carapas  ?  "  inquired  Leon. 

"  O ! "  said  Don  Pablo,  who  understood  him. 
"  Turtles,  is  it  ?  " 

"  Yes,  master,"  replied  Guapo.  "  This  is,  I  sup- 
pose, one  of  their  great  hatching-places.  They  are 
going  to  lay  their  eggs  somewhere  in  the  sand  above. 
They  do  so  every  year." 

There  was  no  danger  from  the  turtles,  as  Guapo 
assured  every  body  ;  but  the  fright  had  chased  away 
sleep,  and  they  all  lay  awake  for  some  time,  listening 
to  Guapo's  account  of  these  singular  creatures,  which 
we  shall  translate  into  our  own  phraseology.  > 

These  large  turtles,  which  in  other  parts  of  South 
America  are  called  "  arraus,"  or  simply  "  tortugas," 
assemble  every  year  in  large  armies  from  all  parts 
of  the  river.  Each  one  of  these  armies  chooses  for 
itself  a  place  to  breed  —  some  sandy  island  or  great 
sand  bank.  This  they  approach  very  cautiously,  ly- 
ing near  it  for  some  days,  and  reconnoitring  it  with 
only  their  heads  above  the  water.  They  then  crawl 
ashore  at  night  in  vast  multitudes,  just  as  the  party 
saw  them,  and  each  turtle,  with  the  strong,  crooked 
claws  of  her  hind  feet,  digs  a  hole  for  herself  in  the 


314  ACRES    OF    EGGS. 

sand.  These  holes  are  three  feet  in  diameter  ana 
two  deep.  In  this  she  deposits  her  eggs, —  from 
seventy  to  one  hundred  and  twenty  of  them,  —  each 
egg  being  white,  hard  shelled,  and  between  the  size 
of  a  pigeon's  and  pullet's.  She  then  covers  the  whole 
with  sand,  levelling  it  over  the  top  so  that  it  may 
look  like  the  rest  of  the  surface,  and  so  that  the 
precious  treasure  may  not  be  found  by  vultures, 
jaguars,  and  other  predatory  creatures.  When  this 
is  done  the  labor  of  the  turtle  is  at  an  end.  The 
great  army  again  betakes  itself  to  the  water,  and 
scatters  in  every  direction.  The  sun,  acting  upon 
the  hot  sand,  does  the  rest ;  and  in  less  than  six 
weeks  the  young  turtles,  about  an  inch  in  diameter, 
crawl  out  of  the  sand  and  at  once  make  for  the 
water.  They  are  afterwards  seen  in  pools  and  lakes, 
where  the  water  is  shallow,  far  from  the  place  where 
they  have  been  hatched  ;  and  it  is  well  known  that 
the  first  years  of  their  life  are  not  spent  in  the  bed 
of  the  great  river.  How  they  find  these  pools,  or 
whether  the  mothers  distinguish  their  own  young  and 
conduct  them  thither,  as  the  crocodiles  and  alligators 
do,  is  a  mystery.  With  these  last  the  thing  is  more 
easy,  as  the  crocodile  mothers  deposit  their  eggs  in 
separate  places,  and  each  returns  for  her  young  when 
they  are  hatched,  calls  them  by  her  voice,  and  guides 
them  to  the  pool  where  they  are  to  remain  until  part- 
ly grown.  But  among  the  thousands  of  little  turtles 
hatched  at  one  place  and  time,  and  that  seek  the 
water  all  together,  how  would  it  be  possible  for  the 
turtle  mother  to  distinguish  her  own  young  ?  Yet  an 
old  female  turtle  is  frequently  seen  swimming  about 


ACRES    OF    EGGS.  315 

with  as  many  as  a  hundred  little  ones  after  her 
Now,  are  these  her  own  ?  or  are  they  a  collection 
picked  up  out  of  the  general  progeny  ?  That  is  an 
undetermined  question.  It  would  seem  impossible 
that  each  turtle  mother  should  know  her  own  young ; 
yet  amidst  this  apparent  confusion  there  may  be 
some  maternal  instinct  that  guides  her  to  distin 
guish  her  own  offspring  from  all  the  rest.  Who 
can  say  ? 

It  is  not  often,  however,  that  the  turtle  is  permitted 
to  have  offspring  at  all.  These  creatures  are  annual- 
ly robbed  of  their  eggs  in  millions.  They  have 
many  enemies,  but  man  is  the  chief.  When  a  turtle 
hatching-place  is  discovered,  the  Indians  assemble, 
and,  as  soon  as  all  the  eggs  have  been  deposited, 
they  uncover  and  collect  them.  They  eat  them  ;  but 
that  is  not  the  principal  use  to  which  they  are  put. 
It  is  for  the  making  of  oil,  or  "  tortoise  butter,"  they 
are  collected.  The  eggs  are  thrown  into  a  large 
trough,  or  canoe,  where  they  are  broken  up  with  a 
wooden  spade  and  stirred  about  for  a  while.  They 
then  remain  exposed  to  the  sun  until  the  oily  part 
collects  on  the  surface,  which  is  then  skimmed  off 
and  well  boiled.  The  "  tortoise  butter  "  is  now  made, 
and,  after  being  poured  into  earthen  jars,  or  bottles, 
(botijaSi)  it  is  ready  for  market.  The  oil  is  clear, 
of  a  pale-yellow  color,  and  some  regard  it  as  equal 
to  the  best  olive  oil,  both  for  lamps  and  for  cooking. 
Sometimes,  however,  it  has  a  putrid  smell,  because 
many  of  the  eggs  are  already  half  hatched  before 
the  gathering  takes  place. 

What  would   be   the    result  were  these  eggs  nol 


316  ACRES    OF    EGGS. 

gathered  by  the  Indians  ?  Perhaps,  in  the  different 
rivers  of  South  America  more  than  a  hundred  mil- 
lions of  them  are  deposited  every  year.  In  the  Ori- 
noco alone,  in  three  principal  hatching-places,  it  has 
been  calculated  that  at  least  thirty-three  millions  are 
annually  destroyed  for  the  making,  of  tortoise  butter. 
Fancy,  then,  one  hundred  millions  of  animals,  each 
of  which  grows  to  the  weight  of  fifty  or  sixty  pounds, 
being  produced  every  year,  and  then  the  increase  in 
production  which  these  would  make  if  left  to  them- 
selves !  Why,  the  rivers  would  be  crowded  ;  and  it 
would  be  true  what  old  Father  Gumilla  once  asserted, 
that  "  it  would  be  as  difficult  to  count  the  grains  of 
sand  on  the  shores  of  the  Orinoco  as  to  count  the 
immense  number  of  tortoises  that  inhabit  its  margins 
and  waters.  Were  it  not  for  the  vast  consumption 
of  tortoises  and  their  eggs,  the  river,  despite  its  great 
magnitude,  would  be  unnavigable ;  for  vessels  would 
be  impeded  by  the  enormous  multitude  of  the  tor- 
toises." 

But  Nature  has  provided  against  this  "  over-popu- 
lation" of  the  turtles  by  giving  them  a  great  many 
enemies.  The  Jaguars,  the  ocelots,  the  crocodiles, 
the  cranes,  and  the  vultures  all  prey  upon  them  ;  and 
perhaps  if  man  were  to  leave  them  alone  the  result 
would  be,  not  such  a  great  increase  in  the  number  of 
the  turtles,  but  that  the  creatures  who  prey  upon 
them  would  come  in  for  a  larger  share. 

The  "  carapa,"  or  arrau  turtle,  is,  when  fullgrown, 
forty  or  fifty  pounds  in  weight.  It  is  of  a  dark-green 
color  above,  and  orange  beneath,  with  yellow  feet. 
There  are  many  other  species  of  fresh-water  turtles 


ACRES    OF    EGGS.  317 

in  the  rivers  of  South  America ;  but  these  breed  sep- 
arately, each  female  choosing  her  own  place,  and 
making  her  deposit  alone.  Indeed,  some  of  the 
smaller  species,  as  the  "  terekay,"  are  more  es- 
teemed both  for  their  flesh  and  eggs  ;  but,  as  a  large 
quantity  of  these  eggs  is  never  found  together,  they 
are  not  collected  as  an  article  of  trade,  but  only  to 
be  roasted  and  eaten.  The  white  does  not  coagulate 
in  roasting  or  boiling,  and  only  the  yolk  is  eaten ;  but 
that  is  esteemed  quite  as  palatable  as  the  eggs  of  the 
common  fowl.  The  flesh  of  all  kinds  is  eaten  by 
the  Indians,  who  fry  it  in  pots,  and  then  pour  it,  with 
its  own  oil,  into  other  vessels,  and  permit  it  to  cool. 
When  thus  prepared,  it  will  keep  for  a  long  time, 
and  can  be  taken  out  when  required  for  use. 

Most  of  the  above  particulars  were  communicated 
by  Guapo ;  and  when  he  had  finished  talking  all  the 
others  went  to  sleep,  leaving  Guapo  to  his  midnight 
vigil. 


318  A    FIGHT    BETWEEN 


CHAPTER  XLIV. 
A  FIGHT  BETWEEN  TWO  VERY  SCALY  CREATURES. . 

When  they  awoke  in  the  morning  they  found  Guapo 
busy  over  the  fire.  He  had  already  been  at  the 
turtles'  nests,  and  had  collected  a  large  basketful  of 
the  eggs,  some  of  which  he  was  cooking  for  break 
fast.  In  addition  to  the  eggs,  moreover,  half  a  dozen 
large  turtles  lay  upon  their  backs  close  by.  The 
flesh  of  these  Guapo  intended  to  scoop  out  and  fry 
down,  so  as  to  be  carried  away  as  a  sort  of  stock  of 
preserved  meat ;  and  a  very  excellent  idea  it  was. 
He  had  caught  them  during  his  watch  as  they  came 
out  of  the  water. 

All  the  turtles  had  gone  off,  although  this  is  not 
always  the  case  ;  for  frequently  numbers  that  have 
not  finished  covering  their  eggs  during  the  night  may 
be  seen  hard  at  work  in  the  morning,  and  so  intent 
on  it  that  they  do  not  heed  the  presence  of  their 
worst  enemies.  These  the  Indians  denominate  "  mad 
tortoises." 

This  morning,  however,  no  "  mad  tortoises  "  were 
to  be  seen;  but  when  our  travellers  cast  their  eyes 
along  the  beach  they  saw  quite  a  number  that  ap» 
peared  to  be  turned  upon  their  backs  just  like  those 
that  Guapo  had  capsized.     They  were  at  some  dis- 


TWO    VERY    SCALY   CREATURES.  319 

tance  from  the  camp ;  but  curiosity  prompted  out 
travellers  to  walk  along  the  beach  and  examine  them. 
Sure  enough  there  were  nearly  a  dozen  large  tor- 
toises regularly  laid  on  their  backs  and  unable  to 
stir ;  but,  besides  these,  there  were  several  tortoise 
shells  out  of  which  the  flesh  had  been  freshly  scooped  ; 
and  these  were  as  neatly  cleaned  out  as  if  the  work 
had  been  done  by  an  anatomist.  All  this  would  have 
been  a  mystery  but  for  the  experience  of  Guapo ;  but 
Guapo  knew  it  was  the  jaguar  that  had  turned  the 
tortoises  on  their  backs,  and  that  had  cleaned  out  and 
eaten  the  flesh  from  the  empty  shells. 

Now,  it  is  no  easy  thing  for  a  man,  provided  with 
the  necessary  implements,  to  separate  the  flesh  of  a 
tortoise  from  its  shell ;  and  yet  the  jaguar,  with  his 
paw,  can  in  a  few  minutes  perform  this  operation 
most  adroitly,  as  our  travellers  had  full  proof.  All 
that  they  saw  had  been  done  that  same  night ;  and  it 
gave  them  no  very  pleasant  feeling  to  know  that  the 
jaguar  had  been  at  work  so  near  them.  This  animal, 
as  Guapo  said,  in  attacking  the  turtles,  first  turns  them 
over,  so  as  to  prevent  their  escape  ;  for  the  "  carapas" 
are  of  those  tortoises  that,  once  upon  their  backs  on 
level  ground,  cannot  right  themselves  again.  He 
then  proceeds  to  tear  out  the  flesh,  and  eats  it  at  his 
leisure.  Oftentimes  he  capsizes  a  far  greater  num- 
ber than  he  can  eat,  and  even  returns  to  the  spot  to 
have  a  second  meal  of  them ;  but  frequently  the 
Jndians  wandering  along  the  river  find  the  tortoises 
he  has  turned  over,  and  of  course  make  an  easy 
capture  of  them. 

Guapo,  upon  this  occasion,  took  advantage  of  the 


320  A   FIGHT    BETWEEN 

jaguar's  skill,  and  carried  to  the  camp  all  that  the 
latter  had  left.  It  was  Guapo's  design  to  make  a 
large  quantity  of  "  turtle  sausage  meat,"  so  that  they 
might  have  a  supply  for  many  days,  as  by  this  time 
even  Guapo  himself  was  getting  tired  of  the  horse- 
flesh "  charqui." 

They  were  about  returning  to  camp  when  their 
attention  was  drawn  to  two  dark  objects  upon  the 
sand  beach,  a  little  farther  on.  These  objects  were 
in  motion,  and  at  first  they  believed  they  were  a  pair 
of  "  mad  tortoises  "  that  had  not  yet  returned  to  the 
water,  although  they  were  close  to  its  edge. 

Led  on  by  curiosity,  our  party  approached  them, 
and  saw  that  one  only  was  a  tortoise,  and  one  of  the 
largest  kind,  being  nearly  three  feet  in  diameter. 
The  other  animal  was  a  small  caiman,  or  alligator. 

As  our  travellers  drew  near  they  saw  that  these 
two  creatures  were  engaged  in  a  fierce  and  deadly 
combat.  Now,  it  is  a  curious  fact  that  the  larger 
alligators  and  crocodiles  are  among  the  most  destruc- 
tive enemies  which  the  turtles  have,  eating  thousands 
of  the  latter  while  they  are  still  tiny  little  creatures 
and  unable  to  defend  themselves ;  and,  on  the  other 
hand,  that  the  turtles  prey  extensively  on  the  young 
of  both  alligators  and  crocodiles,  eating  them  when- 
ever they  can  catch  them !  I  say  this  is  a  curious 
fact  in  natural  history,  and  it  seems  a  sort  of  retalia- 
tory principle  established  between  these  two  kinds  of 
reptiles,  as  if  they  ate  one  another's  offspring  en 
revanche.  There  is  no  feeling  of  revenge,  however, 
in  the  matter.  It  is  merely  an  instinct  of  appetite  by 
which  both  kinds  will  eat  almost  any  small  fry  they 


TWO    VER       SCALY    CREATURES.  321 

come  across.  In  fact  the  alligators  and  crocodiles 
not  only  eat  the  young  of  the  turtles,  but  their  own 
young  as  well  —  that  is,  the  old  males  do ;  and  it  has 
been  stated  that  the  males  of  some  species  of  tor- 
toises have  a  similar  unnatural  appetite. 

The  turtle  of  which  we  are  speaking  is  one  of  the 
most  carnivorous  of  the  whole  race,  and  one  of  the 
fiercest  in  its  nature  too ;  so  much  so  that  it  has 
earned  the  name  of  the  "  fierce  tortoise,"  ( Testudo 
ferox.)  It  will  eat  fish  and  small  Crustacea,  and 
almost  any  living  thing  it  finds  in  the  water  which  is 
not  too  large  for  it.  It  is  extremely  expert  in  catch- 
ing its  prey.  It  lies  concealed  at  the  bottom  among 
the  roots  of  flags  and  nymphse,  and,  when  any  small 
fish  chances  to  pass  it,  by  means  of  its  long  neck 
darts  out  its  head  and  seizes  upon  its  unsuspecting 
victim.  Once  the  bill  of  the  "  fierce  turtle "  has 
closed  upon  any  object,  its  hold  is  secure.  You  may 
cut  its  head  off,  but  otherwise  it  cannot  be  forced  to 
let  go  until  it  has  either  captured  its  prey  or  taken 
the  piece  with  it.  It  will  "  nip  "  a  stout  walking  cane 
between  its  mandibles  as  if  it  was  no  more  than  a 
rush. 

A  very  good  story  is  told  of  a  thief  and  a  tortoise. 
The  thief  was  prowling  about  the  larder  of  a  hotel, 
in  search  of  plunder,  when  he  came  upon  a  large 
market  basket  filled  with  provisions.  He  immedi- 
ately inserted  his  hand  to  secure  the  contents,  when 
lie  felt  himself  suddenly  seized  by  the  fingers  and 
bit.en  sc  severely  that  he  was  fain  to  draw  back  his 
hand  in  the  most  hasty  manner  possible.  But  along 
with  the  hand  he  drew  out  a  "  snapping"  turtle.  To 
21 


322  A    FIGHT    BETWEEN 

get  rid  of  the  "  ugly  customer  "  was  his  next  care 
but,  in  spite  of  all  his  efforts,  the  turtle  held  on,  de- 
termined to  have  the  finger.  The  scuffle,  and  the 
shouts  which  pain  compelled  the  thief  to  give  utter- 
ance to,  awoke  the  landlord  and  the  rest  of  the  house- 
hold ;  and  before  the  thief  could  disengage  himself 
and  escape,  he  was  secured  and  given  into  custody. 

Well,  it  was  just  a  tortoise  of  this  species,  a 
"  snapping  turtle,"  and  one  of  the  largest  size,  that 
our  travellers  now  saw  doing  battle  with  the  caiman. 
The  caiman  was  not  one  of  large  size,  else  the  turtle 
would  have  fled  from  it ;  not  that  even  the  largest 
caimans  are  feared  by  the  fullgrown  carapas.  Nc 
the  strong  plate  armor  of  the  latter  protects  them 
both  from  the  teeth  and  tail  of  this  antagonist.  The 
jaguar,  with  his  pliable  paws,  and  sharp,  subtle  claws, 
is  to  them  a  more  dreaded  assailant  than  the  croco- 
dile or  caiman. 

The  one  in  question  was  some  six  or  seven  feet 
long,  and  altogether  not  much  heavier  than  the  turtle 
itself.  It  was  not  for  the  purpose  of  eating  each 
other  they  fought.  No  ;  their  strife  was  evidently  on 
other  grounds.  No  doubt  the  caiman  had  been 
attempting  to  plunder  the  new-laid  eggs  of  the  tor- 
toise, and  the  latter  had  detected  him  in  the  act.  At 
all  events,  the  struggle  must  have  been  going  on  for 
some  time,  for  the  sand  was  torn  up  and  scored  in 
many  places  by  the  sharp  claws  of  both. 

The  battle  appeared  to  be  still  at  its  height  when 
our  party  arrived  on  the  spot.  Neither  tortoise  nor 
caiman  paid  any  attention  to  their  presence,  but  fought 
on  pertinaciously.     The  aim  of  the  caiman  appeared 


TWO    VERY    bLfcLY    CREATURES.  323 

to  be  to  get  the  head  of  the  tortoise  in  his  mouth ; 
but  whenever  he  attempted  this  the  latter  suddenly 
drew  his  head  within  the  shell,  and  repeatedly  disap 
pointed  him.  The  tortoise,  on  its  part,  rose  at  inter- 
vals upon  its  hind  feet,  and,  making  a  dash  forward, 
would  dart  forth  its  long  neck  and  clutch  at  the  softer 
parts  of  its  antagonist's  body,  just  under  the  throat. 
Several  times  it  had  succeeded  in  this  manoeuvre, 
and  each  time  it  had  brought  the  piece  with  it,  so  that 
the  caiman  was  already  somewhat  mangled.  Another 
manoeuvre  of  the  tortoise  was  to  seize  the  tail  of  its 
antagonist.  Instinct  seemed  to  teach  it  that  this  was 
a  vulnerable  part;  and  for  the  purpose  of  reaching 
the  tail,  it  constantly  kept  crawling  and  edging  round 
towards  it.  Now,  there  is  no  movement  so  difficult 
for  a  reptile  of  the  crocodile  kind  as  to  turn  its  body 
on  dry  land.  The  peculiar  formation  of  the  verte- 
brae both  of  its  neck  and  spine  renders  this  move- 
ment difficult ;  and  in  "changing  front,"  the  reptile  is 
forced  to  describe  a  full  circle  with  its  unwieldy  body 
—  in  fact  to  turn  "  all  of  a  piece."  The  tortoise, 
therefore,  had  the  advantage  ;  and,  after  several 
efforts,  he  at  length  succeeded  in  outflanking  his 
antagonist  and  getting  right  round  to  his  rear.  He 
lost  no  time,  but,  raising  himself  to  his  full  height, 
and  making  a  dart  forward,  seized  the  tail  and  held 
on.  He  had  caught  by  the  very  tip  ;  and  it  was  seen 
that  his  horny  mandibles  had  taken  a  proper  hold. 

Now  commenced  a  somewhat  ludicrous  scene. 
The  caiman,  though  but  a  small  one,  with  the  immense 
muscular  power  which  he  possessed  in  his  tail,  if  not 
able  to  detach  his  antagonist,  was  able  to  give  him  a 


324  A    FIGHT    BETWEEN 

sound  shaking ;  and  the  turtle  was  seen  vibrating 
from  side  to  side,  dragged  along  the  sand.  He  held 
his  broad  yellow  feet  spread  out  on  all  sides,  so  as  to 
preserve  his  equilibrium ;  for  he  well  knew  that  to 
lose  that  would  be  to  lose  his  life.  Should  he  get 
turned  on  his  back  it  would  be  all  over  with  him ;  but 
he  carefully  guarded  against  such  a  fatal  catastrophe. 
Of  course  there  were  intervals  when  the  caiman 
became  tired  and  remained  still  for  a  moment ;  and 
at  each  of  these  intervals  the  tortoise  renewed  his 
hold,  and,  in  fact,  as  our  party  now  perceived,  was 
slowly,  though  surely,  eating  the  tail  ! 

When  this  had  continued  a  short  while,  the  great 
saurian  seemed  to  despair.  The  pain,  no  doubt, 
caused  him  to  weep  "  crocodile's  tears,"  though  none 
were  seen ;  but  his  eyes  glared  with  a  lurid  light,  and 
he  began  to  look  around  for  some  means  of  escape 
from  his  painful  position.  His  eyes  fell  upon  the 
water.  That  promised  something,  although  he  knew 
full  well  the  turtle  was  as  much  at  home  there  as  he. 
At  all  events,  his  situation  could  not  be  a  worse  one, 
and,  with  this  or  some  such  reflection,  he  made  a 
"  dash  "  for  the  water.  He  was  but  a  few  feet  from 
it ;  but  it  cost  him  a  good  deal  of  pulling,  and  drag- 
ging, and  clawing  the  sand  before  he  could  get  into 
it.  In  fact  the  tortoise  knew  that  its  position  could 
not  be  benefited  by  the  change,  and  would  have  pre 
ferred  fighting  it  out  on  dry  land ;  and  to  do  this  he 
set  his  claws  as  firmly  as  possible,  and  pulled  the 
tail  in  the  opposite  direction. 

The  strength  of  the  caiman  at  length   prevailed. 
He  got  his  body  into  the  water,  and,  with  a  few  strokes 


TWO   VERY    SCALY    CREATURES.  325 

of  his  webbed  feet,  jerked  the  turtle  after,  and  both 
were  now  fairly  launched.  Once  in  the  river,  the 
caiman  seemed  to  gain  fresh  vigor.  His  tail  vibrated 
violently  and  rapidly,  throwing  the  tortoise  from  side 
to  side  until  the  foam  floated  around  them,  and  then 
both  suddenly  sank  to  the  bottom. 

Whether  they  continued  "  attached,"  or  became 
"  separated  "  there,  or  whether  the  turtle  killed  the 
lizard,  or  the  lizard  the  turtle,  or  "each  did  kill  the 
other,"  no  one  ever  knew,  as  it  is  highly  probable 
that  no  human  eye  ever  saw  either  of  them  again. 

At  all  events,  no  one  of  our  party  saw  any  more 
of  them ;  and,  having  watched  the  surface  for  some 
time,  they  turned  in  their  steps  and  walked  back  to 
the  camp. 


326  A   PAIR    OF    VALIANT    VULTURES. 


CHAPTER   XLV. 
A  PAIR  OF  VALIANT  VULTURES 

They  had  got  into  a  part  of  the  river  that  seemed 
to  be  a  favorite  resort  with  turtles  and  crocodiles,  and 
creatures  of  that  description.  At  different  times  they 
saw  turtles  of  different  kinds ;  among  others,  the 
•  painted  turtle,"  a  beautiful  species  that  derives  its 
name  from  the  fine  coloring  of  its  shell,  which  ap- 
pears as  if  it  had  been  painted  in  enamel.  Of  croc- 
odiles, too,  they  saw  three  or  four  distinct  species, 
and  not  unfrequently  the  largest  of  all,  the  great 
black  crocodile,  (Jacare  nigra.)  This  was  some- 
times seen  of  the  enormous  length  of  over  twenty 
feet.  Terrible  looking  as  these  crocodiles  are,  they 
are  not  masters  of  every  creature  upon  the  river. 
There  are  even  birds  that  can  sorely  vex  them,  and 
compel  them  to  take  to  the  water  to  save  themselves 
from  a  fearful  calamity  —  blindness. 

One  day,  while  descending  the  river,  our  travellers 
were  witness  to  an  illustration  of  this. 

They  were  passing  a  wide  sand  bank  that  shelved 
back  from  the  river,  with  a  scarcely  perceptible  slope, 
when  they  saw,  at  a  distance  of  about  two  hundred 
yards  from  the  water's  edge,  a  crocodile  making  for 
the  river.  He  looked  as  though  he  had  just  awaked 
from  his  torpid  sleep ;    for   his  body  was  caked  all 


A    PAIR    OF    VALTANT    VULTURES.  327 

over  with  dry  mud,  and  he  seemed  both  hungry  and 
thirsty.  It  was  like  enough  he  was  coming  from 
some  inland  pond,  where  the  water  had  dried  up, 
and  he  was  now  on  his  way  to  the  river. 

All  at  once  two  dark  shadows  were  seen  passing 
over  the  white  surface  of  the  sand  bank.  In  the 
heaven  two  large  birds  were  wheeling  about,  crossing 
each  other  in  their  courses,  and  holding  their  long 
necks  downwards,  as  if  the  crocodile  was  the  object 
of  their  regard. 

The  latter,  on  seeing  them,  paused,  and  lowered 
his  body  into  a  squatted  or  crouching  attitude,  as  if 
in  the  birds  he  recognized  an  enemy.  And  yet  what 
could  such  a  large  creature  fear  from  a  pair  of  M  king 
vultures  "  ?  for  king  vultures  they  were,  as  was  easily 
seen  by  their  red-orange  heads  and  cream-colored 
plumage.  What  could  a  crocodile,  full  ten  feet  long, 
fear  from  these,  even  had  they  been  eagles,  or  the 
great  condor  himself?  No  matter;  he  was  evidently 
frightened  at  them  ;  and  each  time  that  they  drew 
near  in  their  flight,  he  stopped  and  flattened  his  body 
against  the  sand,  as  if  that  might  conceal  him.  As 
soon  as  they  flew  off  again  to  a  more  distant  point 
of  their  aerial  circle,  he  would  once  more  elevate 
himself  on  his  arms,  and  make  all  haste  towards  the 
water. 

He  had  got  within  about  a  hundred  yards  of  the 
river,  when  the  birds  made  a  sudden  turn  in  the  sky, 
and,  swooping  down,  alighted  upon  the  sand,  directly 
before  the  snout  of  the  crocodile.  The  latter  stopped 
again,  and  kept  his  eyes  fixed  upon  them.  They  did 
not  leave  him  long  to  rest ;  for  one  of  them,  making 


328       A  PAIR  OP  VALIANT  VULTURES. 

a  few  hops  towards  him,  came  so  close  that  it  might 
have  been  supposed  the  crocodile  could  have  seized 
it  in  his  jaws.  This,  in  fact,  he  attempted  to  do  ;  but 
the  wary  bird  threw  up  its  broad  wings,  and  flapped 
to  one  side  out  of  his  reach.  Meanwhile,  the  other 
had  hopped  close  up  to  his  opposite  shoulder ;  and 
while  the  crocodile  was  engaged  with  the  first  one, 
this  made  a  dash  forward,  aiming  its  great  open  beak 
at  the  eye  of  the  reptile.  The  crocodile  parried  the 
thrust  by  a  sudden  turn  of  his  head  ;  but  he  had 
scarcely  got  round,  when  the  second  vulture,  watch- 
ing its  opportunity,  rushed  forward  at  the  other  eye. 
.It  must  have  succeeded  in  pecking  it,  for  the  great 
lizard  roared  out  with  the  pain,  and,  rushing  forward 
a  bit,  writhed  and  lashed  the  sand  with  his  tail. 

The  vultures  paid  no  attention  to  these  demonstra- 
tions, but  only  kept  out  of  the  way  of  the  teeth  and 
claws  of  their  antagonist ;  and  then,  when  he  became 
still  again,  both  returned  to  the  attack  as  before.  One 
after  the  other  was  seen  dashing  repeatedly  forward 
—  using  both  legs  and  wings  to  effect  their  object, 
and  each  time  darting  out  their  great  beaks  towards 
the  eyes  of  the  reptile.  The  head  of  the  latter  kept 
continuously  moving  from  side  to  side  ;  but  move 
where  it  would,  the  beaks  of  the  vultures  were  ready 
to  meet  it,  and  to  pierce  into  the  sockets  of  those  deep 
lurid  eyes. 

This  terrible  contest  lasted  all  the  time  the  balza 
was  floating  by.  It  was  a  slow  current  at  this  place, 
and  our  travellers  were  a  long  time  in  passing,  so 
that  they  had  a  good  opportunity  of  witnessing  the 
Btrange  spectacle.     Long  after  they  had  glided  past. 


A    PAIR    OF    VALIANT    VULTURES.  329 

they  saw  that  the  conflict  continued.  They  could 
still  perceive  the  black  body  of  the  reptile  upon  the 
white  sand  bank,  writhing  and  struggling,  while  the 
flapping  wings  of  the  vultures  showed  that  they  stih 
kept  up  their  terrible  attack.  But  the  head  of  the 
crocodile  was  no  longer  directed  towards  the  water. 
At  the  first  onset  the  reptile  had  used  every  effort  to 
retreat  in  that  direction.  He  knew  that  his  only  safe- 
ty lay  in  getting  into  the  river  and  sinking  beyond 
the  reach  of  his  adversaries.  At  every  interval  be- 
tween their  assaults  he  had  been  seen  to  crawl  for- 
ward, stopping  only  when  compelled  to  defend  him- 
self. Now,  however,  his  head  was  seen  turned  from 
the  water  ;  sometimes  he  lay  parallel  with  the  stream, 
and  sometimes  he  appeared  to  be  heading  back  for 
the  woods,  while  his  struggles  and  contortions  be- 
trayed the  agony  he  was  undergoing.  But  his  turn- 
ing in  this  way  was  easily  accounted  for.  He  knew 
not  in  what  direction  lay  the  river.  He  could  no 
longer  see.  His  eyes  were  mutilated  by  the  beaks 
of  the  birds.     He  was  Mind  ! 

Guapo  said  the  vultures  would  not  leave  him  until 
they  had  made  a  meal  of  his  eyes  ;  and  that  was  all 
they  wanted.  He  would  then  remain  on  shore,  per- 
haps without  finding  his  way  back  to  the  water,  and 
most  likely  be  attacked  by  jaguars,  or  other  preying 
creatures,  who  could  conquer  him  the  easier  now  that 
he  was  deprived  of  his  sight. 

As  .he  balza  glided  on,  Guapo  told  our  travellers 
many  strange  stories  of  crocodiles.  He  stated,  what 
is  well  known  to  be  true,  that,  in  the  rivers  of  South 
America,  many  people  are  every  yeai  killed  by  these 


330  A    PAIR    OF    VALIANT    VULTURES. 

ravenous  creatures ;  in  fact,  far  more  than  have  evei 
fallen  victims  to  the  salt-sea  sharks.  In  some  places 
they  are  much  fiercer  than  in  others ;  but  this  may 
arise  from  different  species  being  the  inhabitants  of 
these  different  places.  There  is  the  true  crocodile,  with 
long  sharp  snout  and  large  external  tusks  ;  and  the 
caiman,  with  a  snout  broader  and  more  pike  shaped  ; 
and  the  former  is  a  much  more  courageous  and  man- 
eating  creature.  Both  are  often  found  in  the  same 
river ;  but  they  do  not  associate  together,  but  keep  in 
distinct  bands,  or  societies  ;  and  they  are  often  mis- 
taken for  each  other.  This  may  account  for  the  dif- 
ference of  opinion  that  exists  in  regard  to  the  fierce 
ness  of  these  reptiles  —  many  asserting  that  they  are 
utterly  harmless,  and  will  not  attack  man  under  any 
circumstances ;  while  others,  who  have  witnessed 
their  attacks,  of  course  bearing  testimony  to  the  con- 
trary. There  are  many  places  in  South  America 
where  the  natives  will  fearlessly  enter  a  lake  or  river 
known  to  be  full  of  crocodiles,  and  drive  these  crea 
tures  aside  with  a  piece  of  a  stick  ;  but  there  are 
other  districts  where  nothing  will  tempt  an  Indian  to 
swim  across  a  river  infested  with  these  reptiles.  In 
the  Amazon  districts,  in  every  Indian  village,  several 
people  may  be  seen  who  have  been  maimed  by  croc- 
odiles. No  wonder  that  among  author  travellers 
there  should  be  such  a  difference  of  opinion. 

Guapo  stated  that,  when  an  Indian  has  been  seized 
by  a  crocodile  in  its  great  jaws,  he  has  only  one 
chance  of  escape,  and  that  is  by  thrusting  his  fingers 
into  the  eyes  of  the  reptile.  This  will  invariably 
cause  it  to  let  go  its  hold,  and  generally  frighten  it,  so 


A    PAIR    OF    VALIANT    VULTURES.  331 

as  to  enable  the  person  to  escape.  It  of  course  re- 
quires great  presence  of  mind  to  effect  this,  as  the 
person  who  has  been  seized  will  himself  be  in  great 
pain  from  the  tearing  teeth  of  the  monster,  and,  per- 
haps, will  have  been  drawn  under  the  water  before  he 
can  gather  his  senses.  But  it  has  often  occurred  that 
Indians,  and  even  women,  have  escaped  in  this  way. 

The  eyes  of  the  crocodile  are  its  most  tender  parts  ; 
in  fact,  the  only  parts  that  can  be  made  to  feel  pain. 
A  crocodile  may  be  disabled  by  cutting  at  the  root  of 
its  tail,  but  it  can  only  be  frightened  by  an  attack 
upon  the  eyes  ;  and  this  appears  to  be  a  well-known 
fact,  not  only  to  the  Indians,  but  to  all  its  other  ene- 
mies among  the  birds  and  quadrupeds. 

The  young  crocodiles  are  often  attacked,  and  have 
their  eyes  pecked  out,  by  the  small  gallinazo,  or 
"  zamuro  "  vultures,  (aura  and  cathartes,)  just  in  the 
same  way  that  we  have  seen  one  of  a  larger  size 
become  the  victim  of  the  more  powerfuV  king  vultures, 
(Sarcoramphus  papa.) 


332  THE    "GAPO." 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 


THE    "GAPO." 


After  many  days  of  rafting  our  travellers  arrived 
in  a  most  singular  country.  They  were  now  ap- 
proaching the  mighty  Amazon  ;  and  the  river  upon 
which  they  had  hitherto  been  travelling  appeared  to 
divide  into  many  branches,  where  it  formed  deltas 
with  the  Amazon.  Every  day,  and  sometimes  two 
or  three  times  in  the  day,  they  passed  places  where 
the  river  forked,  as  though  each  branch  passed  round 
an  island ;  but  our  travellers  perceived  that  these 
branches  did  not  meet  again,  and  they  conjectured 
that  they  all  fell  into  the  Amazon  by  separate  em- 
bouchures. They  were  often  puzzled  to  know  which 
one  to  take,  as  the  main  river  was  not  always  broad- 
est, and  they  might  get  into  one  that  was  not  naviga- 
ble below.  A  curious  region  it  was  through  which 
they  passed ;  for,  in  fact,  they  were  now  travelling  in 
the  country  of  the  "  Gapo." 

What  is  the  "  Gapo  "  ?  you  will  ask.  The  "  Gapo,' 
then,  is  the  name  given  to  vast  tracts  of  country 
upon  the  Amazon  and  some  of  its  tributary  streams 
that  are  annually  inundated  and  remain  under  water 
for  several  months  in  the  year.  It  extends  for  hun- 
dreds of  miles  along  the  Amazon  itself,  and  up  many 
of  the  rivers,  its  tributaries  also,  for  hundreds  of  miles. 


THE   "GAPO."  333 

But  the  whole  country  does  not  become  one  clear 
sheet  of  water,  as  is  the  case  with  floods  in  other 
parts  of  the  world.  On  the  contrary,  high  as  is  the 
flood,  the  tree  tops  and  their  branches  rise  still  higher, 
and  we  have  in  the  "  Gapo  "  the  extraordinary  spec- 
tacle of  a  flooded  forest,  thousands  of  square  miles 
in  extent ! 

In  this  forest  the  trees  do  not  per>*h,  but  retain 
afe  and  verdure.  In  fact,  the  trees  of  this  part  are 
peculiar,  most  of  them  differing  in  kind  from  the 
trees  of  any  other  region.  There  are  species  of 
palms  growing  in  the  "  Gapo "  that  are  found  no- 
where else  ;  and  there  are  animals  and  birds,  too, 
that  remain  in  this  region  during  the  whole  season 
of  flood.  It  has  been  further  asserted  that  there  are 
tribes  of  "  Gapo  "  Indians,  who  live  in  the  middle  of 
the  inundation,  making  their  dwellings  upon  the  trees, 
and  who  can  pass  from  branch  to  branch  and  tree  to 
tree  almost  as  nimbly  as  monkeys.  This  may  or 
may  not  be  true.  It  would  not  be  a  new  thing,  if 
true ;  for  it  is  well  known  that  the  Guarano  In- 
dians, at  the  mouth  of  the  Orinoco,  dwell  among  the 
tops  of  the  murichi  palms  (Mauritia  Jlexuosa)  during 
many  months  of  the  season  of  flood.  These  people 
build  platforms  on  the  palms,  and  upon  these  erect 
roofs  and  sling  their  hammocks,  and,  with  little  fire- 
places of  mud,  are  enabled  to  cook  their  provisions 
upon  them.  But  they  have  canoes,  in  which  they 
are  able  to  go  from  place  to  place  and  capture  fish, 
upon  which  they  principally  subsist.  The  murichi 
palm  furnishes  them  with  all  the  other  necessaries  of 
life. 


334  THE    "GAPO." 

This  singular  tree  is  one  of  the  noblest  of  the 
palms.  It  rises  to  a  height  of  more  than  one  hun- 
dred feet,  and  grows  in  immense  palmares,  or  palm 
woods,  often  covering  the  bank  of  the  river  for  miles. 
It  is  one  of  those  called  "  fan  palms ;  "  that  is,  the 
leaves,  instead  of  being  pinnate,  or  feathery,  have 
long  naked  stocks,  at  the  end  of  which  the  leaflets 
spread  out  circularly,  forming  a  shape  like  a  fan. 
One  of  the  murichi  leaves  is  a  grand  sight.  The 
leaf  stalk,  or  petiole,  is  a  foot  thick  where  it  sprouts 
from  the  trunk  ;  and  before  it  reaches  the  leaflets  it 
is  a  solid  beam  of  ten  or  twelve  feet  long,  while  the 
circular  fan  or  leaf  itself  is  nine  or  ten  in  diameter  ! 
A  single  leaf  of  the  murichi  palm  is  a  full  load  for  a 
man. 

With  a  score  of  such  leaves,  shining  and  ever  ver- 
dant as  they  are,  at  the  top  of  its  column-like  trunk, 
what  a  majestic  tree  is  the  murichi  palm ! 

But  it  is  not  more  beautiful  than  useful.  Its  leaves, 
fruit,  and  stem  are  all  put  to  some  use  in  the  do- 
mestic economy  of  the  Indians.  The  leaf  stalk,  when 
dried,  is  light  and  elastic,  like  the  quill  of  a  bird,  ow- 
ing to  the  thin,  hard,  outer  covering,  and  soft,  inter- 
nal pith.  Out  of  the  outer  rind,  when  split  off,  the  In- 
dian makes  baskets  and  window  blinds.  The  pithy 
part  is  separated  into  laths,  about  half  an  inch  thick, 
with  which  window  shutters,  boxes,  birdcages,  par- 
titions, and  even  entire  walls  are  constructed.  The 
epidermis  of  the  leaves  furnishes  the  strings  for  ham- 
mocks and  all  kinds  of  cordage.  From  the  fruits  a 
favorite  beverage  is  produced  ;  and  these  fruits  are 
also  pleasant  eating,  somewhat  resembling  apples. 


THE    «    GAPO.*"  335 

They  are,  in  appearance,  like  pine  cones,  of  a  red 
color  outside,  and  yellow  pulp.  The  trunk  itself  fur- 
nishes a  pith,  or  marrow,  that  can  be  used  as  sago  ■ 
and  out  of  the  wood  the  Indian  cuts  his  buoyant  canoe, 
In  short,  there  are  tribes  of  Indians  that  not  only 
live,  in  a  literal  sense,  on  the  murichi  palms,  but  that 
almost  subsist  on  them. 

Although  the  flood  had,  to  a  considerable  extent 
subsided,  the  river,  in  most  places,  was  still  beyond 
its  banks  ;  and  this  made  it  difficult  for  our  travellers 
to  find  a  place  for  their  night  camps.  Several  nights 
they  were  obliged  to  sleep,  as  they  best  could,  on  the 
balza,  the  latter  being  secured  to  a  tree.  Some- 
times, by  pushing  some  distance  up  the  mouth  of  an 
"  igaripe,"  or  creek,  they  were  able  to  find  dry 
ground  on  which  to  encamp.  During  their  passage 
through  this  labyrinth  of  rivers  they  travelled  but 
very  slowly,  and  their  provisions  were  fast  running 
out.  There  was  no  chance  for  increasing  their  stock, 
as  they  could  not  find  either  wild  hogs  (peccaries)  or 
capivaras.  These  creatures,  although  they  can  swim 
well  enough,  would  only  be  found  upon  the  banks  of 
the  river  when  it  returned  within  its  proper  channel. 

Now  and  then  Guapo  brought  down  a  parrot,  a  ma- 
caw, or  an  aracari  with  his  blow  gun ;  but  these 
were  only  temporary  supplies.  They  had  often 
heard  howling  monkeys  in  the  trees,  but  had  not  been 
able  to  see  thern  ;  and  none  of  the  party  would  have 
refused  to  eat  roast  monkey  now,  as  they  had  all  tried 
it  and  found  it  quite  palatable.  Guapo,  blow  gun  in 
hand,  was   continually  peering  up   among    the  tree 


336  THE    "  GAPO." 

tops  in  search  of  monkeys  or  other  game.     He  was, 
at  length,  rewarded  for  his  vigilance. 

One  night  they  had  pushed  the  balza  up  an  "  igar- 
lpe  "  for  a  hundred  yards  or  so,  where  a  dry  bank 
gave  them  an  opportunity  of  landing.  The  creek  it- 
self was  not  much  wider  than  the  balza,  and  tall  trees 
stood  upon  both  banks.  In  one  or  two  places  the 
thorny  "  jacitara  "  palm  —  which  is  a  sort  of  climbing 
plant,  often  hanging  over  the  branches  of  other  trees 
—  nearly  reached  across  the  stream.  These  curious 
palms  had  even  to  be  cautiously  pushed  to  one  side 
as  the  balza  passed ;  for  the  arrowy  claws  upon  them, 
if  once  hooked  into  the  clothes  of  the  passengers, 
would  either  have  dragged  the  latter  from  off  the  raft 
or  have  torn  out  the  piece  of  cloth. 


THE    ARAGTJATOES.  337 


CHAPTER  XLVII. 

THE  ARAGUATOES. 

Our  party  had  passed  several  of  these  jacitaras, 
made  the  balza  fast,  landed,  and  were  just  cooking 
their  scanty  supper,  when  they  heard  a  band  of 
howling  monkeys  afar  off  in  the  woods.  There  was 
nothing  unusual  in  this  ;  for  these  creatures  are 
heard  at  all  times  among  the  forests  of  the  Ama- 
zon, especially  at  sunrise  and  before  sunset,  or  when- 
ever there  is^any  appearance  of  the  approach  of  a 
rain  storm.  Our  travellers  would  not  have  noticed 
their  voices  on  this  occasion  but  that  they  seemed  to 
be  approaching  in  that  direction  ;  and,  as  they  were 
coming  along  the  bank  of  the  main  river,  Guapo 
concluded  that,  on  arriving  at  the  "  igaripe,"  they 
would  turn  up  it  and  pass  near  where  the  balza  was, 
and  thus  he  might  have  them  within  reach  of  his 
gravatana.  It  was  certain  they  were  coming  down 
the  river  side,  of  course  upon  the  tree  tops,  and 
would,  no  doubt,  turn  up  as  Guapo  expected  ;  for  the 
trees  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  igaripe  stood  too  far 
apart  even  for  monkeys  to  spring  across. 

After  waiting  for  half  an  hour  or  so,  the  hideous 

howling  of  the  monkeys  could  be  heard  at  no  great 

distance,  and  they  were  taking  the  desired  route.     In 

fact,  in  a  few  minutes  after,  the  troop  appeared  upon 

22 


338  THE    ARAGUATOES 

some  tall  trees  that  stood  on  the  edge  of  the  creek, 
not  fifty  yards  from  where  the  balza  was  moored. 
They  were  large  animals,  of  that  lanky  and  slender 
shape  that  characterizes  the  prehensile-tailed  mon- 
keys ;  but  these  were  different  from  the  ateles  already 
mentioned.  They  were  true  howlers,  as  they  had 
already  proved  by  the  cries  they  had  been  uttering 
for  the  half  hour  past.  There  are  several  species  of 
howling  monkeys,  as  we  have  already  stated.  Those 
that  had  arrived  on  the  igaripc  Guapo  pronounced  to 
be  aragualoes.  Their  bodies  are  of  a  reddish-brown 
color  on  the  body  and  shoulders,  lighter  underneath, 
and  their  naked,  wrinkled  faces  are  of  a  bluish  black, 
and  with  veiy  much  of  the  expression  of  an  old  man. 
Their  hair  is  full  and  bushy,  and  gives  them  some 
resemblance  to  a  bear  ;  whence  their  occasional  name 
of  "  bear  ape,"  and  also  their  zoological  designation, 
Simia  ursina.  The  araguato  is  full  three  feet  without 
the  tail,  and  that  powerful  member  is  much  longer. 
When  the  band  made  its  appearance  on  the  igaripe, 
they  were  seen  to  come  to  a  halt,  all  of  them  gather- 
ing into  a  great  tree  that  stood  by  the  water's  edge. 
This  tree  rose  higher  than  the  rest ;  and  the  most  of 
the  monkeys,  having  climbed  among  the  top  branch- 
es, were  visible  from  the  balza.  There  were  about 
fifty  in  the  troop,  and  one,  that  seemed  larger  than 
any  of  the  others,  appeared  to  act  as  leader.  Many 
of  them  were  females  ;  and  there  were  not  a  few 
that  had  young  ones,  which  they  carried  upon  their 
backs  just  as  the  Indian  mothers  and  those  of  other 
savage  nations  carry  their  children.  Most  of  tho 
little  monkeys  lay  along  the  backs  of  their  mothers 


THE    ARAGUATOES.  339 

clasping  them  around  the  nock  with  their  fore  arms, 
while  their  hind  ones  girdled  the  middle  of  the  body. 
But  it  was  in  their  tails  the  little  fellows  seemed  to 
place  most  reliance.  The  top  parts  of  these  were 
firmly  lapped  around  the  thick  base  of  the  tails  of 
the  old  ones,  and  thus  not  only  secured  their  seat,  but 
made  it  quite  impossible  for  them  to  drop  off.  No 
force  could  have  shaken  them  from  this  hold  without 
dragging  out  their  tails  or  tearing  their  bodies  to 
pieces.  Indeed,  it  was  necessary  they  should  be  thus 
firmly  seated,  as  the  exertions  of  the  mothers  —  their 
quick  motions,  and  long,  springing  leaps  from  tree  to 
tree  —  would  otherwise  have  been  impossible. 

On  reaching  the  bank  of  the  igaripe  the  aragua- 
toes  were  evidently  at  fault.  Their  intention  had 
been  to  proceed  down  along  the  main  river ;  and  the 
creek  now  interfered.  Its  water  lay  directly  across 
their  course  ;  and  how  were  they  to  get  over  it  ? 
Swim  it,  you  may  say.  Ha  !  little  do  you  know  the 
dread  these  creatures  have  of  water.  Yes  ;  strange 
to  say,  although  many  species  of  them  pass  their 
lives  upon  trees  that  overhang  water,  or  even  grow 
out  of  it,  they  are  as  .much  afraid  of  the  water  be- 
neath them  as  if  it  were  fire.  A  cat  is  not  half  so 
dainty  about  wetting  her  feet  as  some  monkeys  are  ; 
and,  besides,  a.  cat  can  swim,  which  the  monkeys 
cannot  —  at  best  so  badly  that  in  a  few  minutes  they 
would  drown.  Strange,  is  it  not,  that  among  animals, 
those  that  approach  nearest  to  man,  like  him  are  not 
gifted  by  nature  with  the  power  of  swimming  ?  It  is 
evident,  then,  that  that  is  an  art  left  to  be  discovered 
by  the  intellect  of  man.    To  fall  into  the  water  would 


340  THE    AltAGTJATOES. 

be  a  sad  mishap  for  a  monkey,  not  only  on  account 
of  the  ducking,  but  of  the  danger.  There  is  not  much 
likelihood  of  an  araguato  falling  in.  Even  though 
one  branch  may  have  broken  and  failed  it,  in  the 
great  concave  sphere  which  it  can  so  quickly  trace 
around  it  by  means  of  its  five  long  members  it  is  sure 
of  finding  a  second.  No  ;  the  araguatoes  might 
spend  a  lifetime  in  the  flooded  forest  without  even 
wetting  a  hair  further  than  what  is  wetted  by  the  rain. 

From  their  movements,  it  was  evident  the  igaripe 
had  puzzled  them  ;  and  a  consultation  was  called 
among  the  branches  of  the  tall  tree  alreadv  men- 
tioned.  Upon  one  of  the  very  highest  sat  the  large 
old  fellow  who  was  evidently  leader  of  the  band. 
His  harangue  was  loud  and  long,  accompanied  by 
many  gestures  of  his  hands,  head,  and  tail.  It  was 
no  doubt  exceedingly  eloquent.  Similar  speeches, 
delivered  by  other  old  araguato  chiefs,  have  been 
compared  to  the  creaking  of  an  ungreased  bullock 
cart,  mingled  with  the  rumbling  of  the  wheels. 

Our  party  thought  the  comparison  a  just  one.  The 
old  chief  finished  at  length.  Up  to  this  point  not 
one  of  the  others  had  said  a  word.  They  all  sal 
silent,  observing  perfect  decorum — indeed,  much 
greater  than  is  observed  in  the  great  British  Parlia- 
ment or  the  Congress  of  America.  Occasionally  one 
of  the  children  might  utter  a  slight  squeak  or  throw 
out  its  hand  to  catch  a  mosquito ;  but  in  such  cases  a 
slap  from  the  paw  of  the  mother  or  a  rough  shaking 
soon  reduced  it  to  quiet.  When  the  chief  had  ended 
speaking,  however,  no  debate  in  either  Congress  or 
Parliament  could  have  equalled  the  noise  that  then 


THE    ARAGUATOES.  341 

nrose.  Every  araguato  seemed  to  have  something  to 
say,  and  all  spoke  at  the  same  time.  If  the  speech 
of  the  old  one  was  like  the  creaking  of  a  bullock 
cart,  the  voices  of  all  combined  might  appropriately 
be  compared  to  a  whole  string  of  these  vehicles,  with 
half  the  quantity  of  grease  and  a  double  allowance 
of  wheels. 

Once  more  the  chief,  by  a  sign,  commanded  si- 
lence, and  the  rest  became  mute  and  motionless  as 
before. 

This  time  the  speech  of  the  leader  appeared  to 
refer  to  the  business  in  hand  —  in  short,  to  the  cross- 
ing of  the  igaripe\  He  was  seen  repeatedly  pointing 
in  that  direction  as  he  spoke,  and  the  rest  fallowed 
his  motions  with  their  eyes. 


3-12  BRIDGING    AN    IGARIPE. 


CHAPTER  XL VIII. 

BRIDGING  AN  IGARIPE. 

The  tree  upon  which  the  araguatoes  were  assem- 
bled stood  near  the  edge  of  the  water,  but  there  way 
another  still  nearer.  This  was  also  a  tall  tree,  free 
of  branches  for  a  great  way  up.  On  the  opposite 
bank  of  the  igaripe  was  a  very  similar  tree,  and  the 
long  horizontal  branches  of  the  two  were  separated 
from  each  other  by  a  space  of  about  twenty  feet.  It 
was  with  these  two  trees  that  the  attention  of  the  ara- 
guatoes appeared  to  be  occupied  ;  and  our  travellers 
could  tell  by  their  looks  and  gestures  that  they  were 
conversing  about,  and  calculating  the  distance  be- 
tween, their  upper  branches.  For  what  purpose  ? 
Surely  they  do  not  expect  to  be  able  to  make  a  cross- 
ing between  them  ?  No  creature  without  wings 
could  pass  from  the  one  to  the  other  !  Such  were  the 
questions  and  doubts  expressed  by  Leon,  and,  indeed, 
by  all  except  Guapo;  but  Guapo  had  seen  aragua- 
toes before,  and  knew  some  of  their  tricks.  Guapo, 
therefore,  boldly  pronounced  that  it  was  their  inten- 
tion to  cross  the  igaripe  by  these  two  trees.  He  was 
about  to  explain  the  manner  in  which  they  would  ac- 
complish it,  when  the  movement  commenced,  and 
-endered  his  explanation  quite  unnecessary. 

At  a  commanding  cry  from  the  chief,  several  of 


BRIDGING    AN    IGARITE.  343 

the  largest  and  strongest  monkeys  swung  themselves  t 
into  the  tree  that  stood  on  the  edge  of  the  water. 
Here,  after  a  moment's  reconnoissance,  they  were 
seen  to  get  upon  a  horizontal  limb,  one  that  projected 
diagonally  over  the  igaripe.  There  were  no  limbs 
immediately  underneath  it  on  the  same  side  of  the 
tree  ;  and  for  this  very  reason  had  they  selected  it. 
Having  advanced  until  they  were  near  its  top,  the 
foremost  of  the  monkeys  let  himself  down  upon  his 
tail,  and  hung  head  downward.  Another  slipped 
down  the  body  of  the  first,  and  clutched  him  around 
the  neck  and  fore  arms  with  his  strong  tail,  with  his 
head  down  also.  A  third  succeeded  the  second,  and 
a  fourth  the  third,  and  so  on  until  a  string  of  monkeys 
dangled  from  the  limb.  A  motion  was  now  produced 
by  the  monkeys  striking  other  branches  with  their 
feet,  until  the  long  string  oscillated  back  and  forwards 
like  the  pendulum  of  a  clock.  This  oscillation  was 
gradually  increased,  until  the  monkey  at  the  lower 
end  was  swung  up  among  the  branches  of  the  tree  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  igaripe.  After  touching  them 
once  or  twice,  he  discovered  that  he  was  within  reach  ; 
and  the  next  time  when  he  had  reached  the  highest 
point  of  the  oscillating  curve,  he  threw  out  his  long 
thin  fore  arms,  and,  firmly  clutching  the  branches, 
held  fast. 

The  oscillation  now  ceased.  The  living  chain 
stretched  across  the  igaripe  from  tree  to  tree,  and, 
curving  slightly,  hung  like  a  suspension  bridge.  A 
loud  screaming,  and  gabbling,  and  chattering,  and 
howling  proceeded  from  the  band  of  araguatoes,  who, 
up  to  this  time,  had  watched  the  manoeuvres  of  their 


344  BRIDGING    AN    IGARirE. 

comrades  in  silence  —  all  except  the  old  chief,' who 
occasionally  had  given  directions,  both  with  voice  and 
gestures.  But  the  general  gabble  that  succeeded  was, 
no  doubt,  an  expression  of  the  satisfaction  of  all  that 
the  bridge  was  built. 

The  troop  now  proceeded  to  cross  over,  one  or  two 
old  ones  going  first,  perhaps  to  try  the  strength  of 
the  bridge.  Then  went  the  mothers,  carrying  their 
young  on  their  backs,  and  after  them  the  rest  of  the 
band. 

It  was  quite  an  amusing  scene  to  witness,  and  the 
behavior  of  the  monkeys  would  have  caused  any  one 
to  laugh.  Even  Guapo  could  not  restrain  his  mirth 
at  seeing  those  who  formed  the  bridge  biting  the 
others  that  passed  over  them,  both  on  the  legs  and 
tails,  until  the  latter  screamed  again. 

The  old  chief  stood  at  the  near  end  and  directed 
the  crossing.  Like  a  brave  officer,  he  was  the  last  to 
pass  over.  When  all  the  others  had  preceded  him 
he  crossed  after,  carrying  himself  in  a  stately  and 
dignified  manner.  None  dared  to  bite  at  his  legs 
They  knew  better  than  play  off  their  tricks  on  him 
and  he  crossed  quietly  and  without  any  molestation. 

Now,  the  string  still  remained  suspended  between 
the  trees.  How  were  the  monkeys  that  formed  it  to 
get  themselves  free  again  ?  Of  course  the  one  that 
had  clutched  the  branch  with  his  arms  might  easily 
let  go ;  but  that  would  bring  them  back  to  the  same 
side  from  which  they  had  started,  and  would  separate 
them  from  the  rest  of  the  band.  Those  constituting 
the  bridge  would,  therefore,  be  as  far  from  crossing 
as  ever. 


BRIDGING    ANIGARIPE.  315 

Tlicre  seemed  to  be  a  difficulty  here  ;  that  is,  to 
some  of  our  travellers.  To  the  monkeys  themselves 
there  was  none.  They  knew  well  enough  what  they 
were  about,  and  they  would  have  got  over  the  appar- 
ent difficulty  in  the  following  manner  :  The  one  at 
the  tail  end  of  the  bridge  would  simply  have  let  go 
his  hold,  and  the  whole  string  would  then  have  swung 
over  and  hung  from  the  tree  on  the  opposite  bank, 
into  which  they  could  have  climbed  at  their  leisure.  I 
say  they  would  have  done  so  had  nothing  interfered 
to  prevent  them  from  completing  the  manoeuvre  ;  but 
an  obstacle  intervened  which  brought  the  affair  to  a 
very  different  termination. 

Guapo  had  been  seated  along  with  the  rest,  grava- 
tana in  hand.  He  showed  great  forbearance  in  not 
having  used  the  gravatana  long  before,  for  he  was  all 
Ihe  while  quite  within  reach  of  the  araguatoes ;  but 
this  forbearance  on  his  part  was  not  of  his  own  free 
will.  Don  Pablo  had,  in  fact,  hindered  him,  in  order 
that  he  and  the  others  should  have  an  opportunity  of 
witnessing  the  singular  manoeuvres  of  the  monkeys. 

Before  the  scene  was  quite  over,  however,  the  In- 
dian begged  Don  Pablo  to  let  him  shoot,  reminding 
him  how  much  they  stood  in  need  of  a  little  "  mon- 
key meat."  This  had  the  effect  Guapo  desired  ;  the 
consent  was  given,  and  the  gravatana  was  pointed 
diagonally  upwards.  Once  more  Guapo's  cheeks 
were  distended  ;  once  more  came  the  strong,  quick 
puff;  and  away  went  the  arrow.  The  next  moment  it 
was  seen  sticking  in  the  neck  of  one  of  the  monkeys. 

Now,  the  one  which  Guapo  had  aimed  at  and  hit 
was  that  which  had  grasped  the  tree  on  the  opposite 


346  BRIDGING    AN    IGARIPE. 

side  with  its  arms.  Why  did  he  choose  this  moro 
than  any  other  ?  Was  it  because  it  was  nearer,  or 
more  exposed  to  view  ?  Neither  of  these  was  the 
reason.  It  was,  that  had  he  shot  any  of  the  others  in 
the  string  —  they  being  supported  by  their  tails — it 
would  not  have  fallen  ;  the  tail,  as  we  have  already 
seen,  still  retaining  its  prehensile  power  even  to  death. 

But  that  one  which  held  on  to  the  tree  by  its  fore 
arms  would  in  a  second  or  two  be  compelled, 
from  weakness,  to  let  go,  and  the  whole  chain  would 
drop  back  on  the  near  side  of  the  igaripe.  This  was 
just  what  Guapo  desired,  and  he  waited  for  the  result. 
It  was  necessary  only  to  wait  half  a  dozen  seconds. 
The  monkey  was  evidently  growing  weak  under  the 
influence  of  the  curare,  and  was  struggling  to  retain 
its  hold.     In  a  moment  it  must  let  go. 

The  araguato  at  the  "  tail  end  "  of  the  bridge,  not 
knowing  what  had  happened,  and  thinking  all  was 
right  for  swinging  himself  across,  slipped  his  tail 
from  the  branch  just  at  the  very  same  instant  that  the 
wounded  one  let  go,  and  the  whole  chain  fell  "  souse  " 
into  the  water.  Then  the  screaming  and  howling 
from  those  on  shore,  the  plunging  and  splashing  of 
the  monkeys  in  the  stream,  mingled  with  the  shouts  of 
Leon,  Guapo,  and  the  others,  created  a  scene  of  noise 
and  confusion  that  lasted  for  several  minutes.  In  the 
midst  of  it,  Guapo  threw  himself  into  the  canoe,  and, 
with  a  single  stroke  of  his  paddle,  shot  right  down 
among  the  drowning  monkeys.  One  01  two  escaped 
to  the  bank  and  made  off ;  several  went  to  the  bottom  , 
but  three,  including  the  wounded  one,  fell  into  th« 
clutches  of  the  hunter. 


BRIDGING    AN    IGARIPE.  347 

Of  course  roast  monkey  was  added  to  the  supper , 
but  none  of  the  travellers  slept  very  well  after  it, 
as  the  araguatoes,  lamenting  their  lost  companions, 
kept  up  a  most  dismal  wailing  throughout  the  whole 
of  the  night. 


348  THE    MANATI. 


CHAPTER  XLIX. 


THE  MANATI. 


The  araguatoes,  with  dried  plantains  and  cassava, 
were  the  food  of  our  travellers  for  several  days  after. 
On  the  evening  of  the  third  day  they  had  a  change. 
Guapo  succeeded  in  capturing  a  very  large  turtle, 
which  served  for  relish  at  several  meals.  His  mode 
of  taking  the  turtle  was  somewhat  curious,  and  de- 
serves to  be  described. 

The  balza  had  been  brought  to  the  bank,  and  they 
were  just  mooring  it,  when  something  out  on  the 
water  attracted  the  attention  of  Leon  and  Leona.  It 
was  a  small,  darkish  object,  and  would  not  have  been 
observed  but  for  the  ripple  that  it  made  on  the  smooth 
surface  of  the  river ;  and  by  this  they  could  tell  that 
it  was  in  motion. 

"  A  water  snake  !  "  said  Leon. 

"  O  !  "  ejaculated  the  little  Leona  ;  "  I  hope  not, 
brother  Leon." 

"  On  second  thoughts,"  replied  Leon,  "  I  don't 
think  it  is  a  snake." 

Of  course  the  object  was  a  good  distance  off,  else 
Leon  and  Leona  would  not  have  talked  so  coolly 
about  it.  But  their  words  had  reached  the  ear  of 
Dona  Isidora,  and  drawn  her  attention  to  what  they 
were  talking  about.    • 


THE    MANATI.  349 

"  No  ;  it  is  not  a  snake,"  said  she.  "  I  fancy  it  is 
a  turtle." 

Guapo  up  to  this  had  been  busy  with  Don  Pablo  in 
getting  the  balza  made  fust.  The  word  "  turtle," 
however,  caught  his  ear  at  once,  and  he  looked  up, 
and  then  out  on  the  river  in  the  direction  where  Leon 
and  Leona  were  pointing.  As  soon  as  his  eye  rested 
upon  the  moving  object  he  replied  to  the  remark  cf 
Dona  Isidora. 

"  Yes,  my  mistress,"  said  he,  "  it  is  a  turtle,  and  a 
big  one  too.  Please  all  keep  quiet ;  I  think  I  can  get 
him." 

How  Guapo  was  to  get  the  turtle  was  a  mystery  to 
all.  The  latter  was  about  thirty  paces  distant ;  but  it 
would  be  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  hit  his  small 
snout  —  the  only  part  above  water  —  with  the  arrow 
of  the  blow  gun.  Moreover,  they  thought  that  the 
arrow  would  not  penetrate  the  hard,  bony  substance, 
so  as  to  stick  there  and  infuse  its  poison  into  the 
wound. 

These  conjectures  were  true  enough ;  but  his 
gravatana  was  not  the  weapon  which  Guapo  was 
abou*  to  use.  He  had  other  weapons  as  well ;  a  fish 
spear,  or  harpoon,  and  a  regular  bow  and  arrows, 
which  he  had  made  during  his  leisure  hours  in  the 
valley. 

The  latter  was  the  weapon  with  which  the  tortoise 
was  to  be  killed. 

Taking  the  bow,  and  adjusting  an  arrow  to  the 
string,  Guapo  stepped  forward  to  the  water's  edge. 
All  watched  him,  uttering  their  hopes  of  his  success. 
It  was  still  not  clear  with  them  how  the  turtle  was  to 


350  THE    MAN  ATI. 

be  killed  Dy  an  arrow  shot  from  a  bow  any  more  than 
by  one  sent  from  a  blow  gun.  Would  it  not  glance 
from  the  shell  even  should  he  succeed  in  hitting  it 
under  water  ?     Surely  it  would. 

As  they  stood  whispering  their  conjectures  to  one 
another,  they  observed  Guapo,  to  their  great  astonish- 
ment, pointing  his  arrow  upward,  and  making  as  if 
he  was  going  to  discharge  it  in  the  air !  This  he,  in 
fact,  did  do  a  moment  after ;  and  they  would  have 
been  puzzled  by  his  apparently  strange  conduct  had 
they  not  observed,  in  the  next  instant,  that  the  arrow, 
after  flying  high  up,  came,  down  again  head  foremost, 
and  stuck  upright  in  the  back  of  the  turtle ! 

The  turtle  dived  at  once,  and  all  of  them  expected 
to  see  the  upright  arrow  carried  under  water.  What 
was  their  surprise  as  well  as  chagrin  to  see  that  it 
had  fallen  out  and  was  floating  on  the  surface  !  Of 
course  the  wound  had  only  been  a  slight  one,  and  the 
turtle  would  escape  and  be  none  the  worse  for  it. 

But  Guapo  shared  neither  their  surprise  nor  cha- 
grin. Guapo  felt  sure  that  the  turtle  was  his,  and 
said  nothing,  but,  jumping  into  the  canoe,  began  to 
paddle  himself  out  to  where  the  creature  had  been 
last  seen.     What  could  he  be  after  ?  thought  they. 

As  they  watched  him  they  saw  that  he  made  for 
the  floating  arrow.  "  O  !  "  said  they,  "  he  is  gone  to 
recover  it." 

That  seemed  probable  enough ;  but,  to  their  aston- 
ishment, as  he  approached  the  weapon  it  took  a  start 
and  ran  away  from  him  !  Something  below  dragged 
it  along  the  water.  That  was  clear ;  and  they  began 
to  comprehend  the  mystery.     The  head  of  the  arrow 


THE    MANATI.  351 

was  still  sticking  in  the  shell  of  the  turtle.  It  was 
only  the  shaft  that  floated,  and  that  was  attached  to 
the  head  by  a  string.  The  latter  had  been  but  loosely 
put  on,  so  that  the  pressure  of  the  water,  as  the  turtle 
dived,  should  separate  it  from  the  shaft,  leaving  the 
shaft  with  its  cord  to  act  as  a  buoy  and  discover  the 
situation  of  the  turtle. 

Guapo,  in  his  swift  canoe,  soon  laid  hold  of  the 
shaft,  and,  after  a  little  careful  manoeuvring,  suc- 
ceeded in  landing  his  turtle  high  and  dry  upon  the 
bank.  A  splendid  prize  it  proved.  It  was  a  "  jurara" 
tortoise  —  the  u  tataruga,"  or  great  turtle  of  the  Por- 
tuguese ;  and  its  shell  was  full  three  feet  in  diameter. 

Guapo's  mode  of  capturing  the  "jurara"  is  the 
same  as  that  generally  practised  by  the  Indians  of 
the  Amazon,  although  strong  nets  and  the  hook  are 
also  used.  The  arrow  is  always  discharged  upwards, 
and  the  range  calculated  with  such  skill  that  it  falls 
vertically  on  the  shell  of  the  turtle,  and  penetrates 
deep  enough  to  stick  and  detach  itself  from  the 
shaft.  This  mode  of  shooting  is  necessary,  else  the 
jurara  could  not  be  killed  by  an  arrow,  because  it 
never  shows  more  than  the  tip  of  its  snout  above 
water,  and  any  arrow  hitting  it  in  a  direct  course 
would  glance  harmlessly  from  its  shell.  A  good 
bowman  among  the  Indians  will  rarely  miss  shooting 
in  this  way  —  long  practice  and  native  skill  enabling 
him  to  guess  within  an  inch  of  where  his  weapon 
will  fall. 

In  the  towns  of  the  Lower  Amazon,  where  turtles 
aie  brought  to  market,  a  small  square  hole  may  be 


352  THE    MANATI. 

observed  in  the  shells  of  these  creatures.  That  is 
the  mark  of  the  arrowhead. 

Guapo  lost  no  time  in  turning  his  turtle  inside  out, 
and  converting  part  of  it  into  a  savory  supper,  while 
the  remainder  was  fried  into  sausage  meat,  and  put 
away  for  the  following  day. 

But  on  that  following  day  a  much  larger  stock  of 
sausage  meat  was  procured  from  a  very  different 
animal,  and  that  was  a  "  cow." 

4  How  ?  "  you  exclaim  ;  "  a  cow  in  the  wild  forests 
of  the  Amazon !  Why,  you  have  said  that  no  cattle 
—  either  cows  or  horses  —  can  exist  there  without 
man  to  protect  them,  else  they  would  be  devoured  by 
pumas,  jaguars,  and  bats.  Perhaps  they  had  arrived 
at  some  settlement  where  cows  were  kept  ?  " 

Not  a  bit  of  it;  your  conjecture,  my  young  friend, 
is  quite  astray.  There  was  not  a  civilized  settlement 
for  many  hundreds  of  miles  from  where  Guapo  got 
his  cow,  nor  a  cow  neither,  of  the  sort  you  are  think- 
ing of.  But  there  are  more  kinds  of  cows  than  one ; 
and  perhaps  you  may  have  heard  of  a  creature  called 
the  "  fish  cow."  Well,  that  is  the  sort  of  cow  I  am 
speaking  of.  Some  term  it  the  "  sea  cow  ;"  but  this 
is  an  improper  name  for  it,  since  it  also  inhabits 
fresh- water  rivers  throughout  all  tropical  America. 
It  is  known  as  the  Manati ;  and  the  Portuguese  call 
it  "peixe  loi"  which  is  only  "  fish  cow"  done  into 
Portuguese. 

It  is  a  curious  creature,  the  fish  cow,  and  I  shall 
offer  you  a  short  description  of  it.  It  is  usually  about 
seven  feet  in  length,  and  five  round  the  thickest  part 


THE    MA^ATI.  353 

of  the  body,  which  latter  is  quite  smooth,  and  tapers 
off  into  a  horizontal  flat  tail,  semicircular  in  shape. 
There  are  no  hind  limbs  upon  the  animal,  but  just 
behind  the  head  are  two  powerful  fins  of  an  oval 
shape.  There  is  no  neck  to  be  perceived  ;  and  the 
head,  which  is  not  very  large,  terminates  in  a  large 
mouth  and  fleshy  lips,  which  are  not  unlike  those  of 
a  cow ;  hence  its  name  of  "  cow  fish."  There  are 
stiff  bristles  on  the  upper  lip,  and  a  few  thinly-scat- 
tered hairs  over  the  rest  of  the  body.  Behind  the 
oval  fins  are  two  mamma,  or  breasts,  from  which, 
when  pressed,  flows  a  stream  of  beautiful  white  milk. 
Both  eyes  and  ears  are  very  small  in  proportion  to 
the  size  of  the  animal ;  but,  nevertheless,  it  has  full 
use  of  these  organs,  and  is  not  easily  approached  by 
its  enemy. 

The  color  of  the  skin  is  a  dusky  lead,  with  some 
flesh-colored  marks  on  the  belly ;  and  the  skin  itself 
is  an  inch  thick  at  its  thickest  part,  on  the  back. 
Beneath  the  skin  is  a  layer  of  fat,  of  great  thickness, 
which  makes  excellent  oil  when  boiled.  As  we  have 
said,  the  manati  has  no  appearance  of  hind  limbs. 
Its  fore  limbs,  however,  are  highly  developed  for  a 
water  animal.  The  bones  in  them  correspond  to 
those  in  the  human  arm,  having  five  finders  with  tho 
joints  distinct,  yet  so  enclosed  in  an  inflexible  sheath 
that  not  a  joint  can  be  moved. 

The  cow  fish  feeds  on  grass,  coming  in  to  the  bor- 
ders of  the  lakes  and  rivers  to  procure  it.  It  can 
swim  very  rapidly  by  means  of  its  flat  tail  and  strong 
fins,  and  is  not  so  easily  captured  as  might  be  sup- 
posed. .  All  the  art  of  the  hunter  is  required  to  effect 
23 


354  THE    MANATI. 

its  destruction.  The  harpoon  is  the  weapon  usually 
employed ;  though  sometimes  they  are  caught  in 
strong  nets  stretched  across  the  mouths  of  rivers,  or 
the  narrow  arms  of  lakes.  The  flesh  of  the  manati 
is  much  esteemed,  and  tastes  somewhat  between  beef 
and  pork,  altogether  different  from  "  fish."  Fried  in 
its  own  oil,  and  poured  into  pots  or  jars,  it  can  bo 
preserved  for  many  months. 

As  already  stated,  on  the  day  after  Guapo  shot  the 
turtle,  —  in  fact  the  next  morning,  — just  as  they  wero 
going  to  shove  off,  some  of  the  party,  in  gazing  from 
the  edge  of  the  balza,  noticed  a  queer-looking  animal 
in  the  clear  water  below.  It  was  no  other  than  a 
"  fish  cow ;"  and,  as  they  continued  to  examine  it  more 
attentively,  they  were  astonished  to  observe  that,  with 
its  short,  paddle-like  limbs,  it  hugged  two  miniature 
models  of  itself  close  to  its  two  breasts.  These 
were  the  "  calves,"  in  the  act  of  sucking  ;  for  such 
is  the  mode  in  which  the  manati  nourishes  her  young. 

All  the  others  would  have  watched  this  spectacle 
for  a  while,  interested  in  the  maternal  and  filial  traits 
thus  exhibited  by  a  subaqueous  creature  ;  but  while 
they  stood  looking  into  the  water,  something  glanced 
before  their  eyes  and  glided  with  a  plunge  to  the 
bottom.     It  was  the  harpoon  of  Guapo. 

Blood  rose  to  the  surface  immediately,  and  there 
was  a  considerable  plashing  as  the  strong  manati 
made  its  attempt  to  escape  ;  but  the  head  of  the  har- 
poon was  deeply  buried  in  its  flesh,  and,  with  the 
attached  cord,  Guapo  soon  hauled  the  animal  ashore. 
It  was  as  much  as  he  and  Don  Pablo  could  do  to 
drag  it  on  dry  land  ;  but  the   knife  soon  took  it  to 


THE    IMANATI.  355 

pieces;  and  then  several  hours  were  spent  in  making 
it  fit  for  preservation.  Its  fat  and  flesh  yielded  enough 
to  fill  every  spare  vessel  our  travellers  had  got ;  and, 
when  all  were  filled,  the  balza  was  pushed  off,  and 
they  continued  their  voyage,  without  any  fear  of 
short  rations  for  many  days  to  come. 


356 


THE    CLOSING    CHAPTER. 


CHAPTER  L. 

THE  CLOSING  CHAPTER. 

After  many  days  of  difficult  navigation,  the  balza 
floated  upon  the  broad  and  mighty  Amazon,  whose 
yellowish-olive  flood  flowed  yet  fifteen  hundred  miles 
farther  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 

The  current  was  in  most  places  over  four  miles  an 
hour,  and  the  navigation  smooth  and  easy,  so  that  our 
travellers  rarely  made  less  than  fifty  miles  a  day. 
There  was  considerable  monotony  in  the  landscape, 
on  account  of  the  absence  of  mountains ;  as  the 
Amazon,  through  most  of  its  course,  runs  through  a 
level  plain.  The  numerous  bends  and  sudden  wind- 
ings of  the  stream,  however,  continually  opening  out 
into  new  and  charming  vistas,  and  the  ever-changing 
variety  of  vegetation,  formed  sources  of  delight  to 
the  travellers. 

Almost  eveiy  day  they  passed  the  mouth  of  some 
tributary  river — many  of  these  appearing  as  large 
as  the  Amazon  itself.  Our  travellers  were  struck 
with  a  peculiarity  in  relation  to  these  rivers  —  that 
is,  their  variety  of  color.  Some  were  whitish,  with 
a  tinge  of  olive,  like  the  Amazon  itself;  others 
were  blue  and  transparent ;  while  a  third  kind  had 
waters  as  black  as  ink.  Of  the  latter  class  is  the 
great  river  of  the  Ric  Negro,  which,  by  means  of  a 


THE    CLOSING    CHAPTER.  357 

tributary,  (the  Cassiquiare,)  joins  the  Amazon  with 
the  Orinoco. 

Indeed,  the  rivers  of  the  Amazon  valley  have  been 
classed  into  white,  blue,  and  black.  Red  rivers,  such 
as  are  common  in  the  northern  division  of  the  Amer- 
ican continent,  do  not  exist  in  the  valley  of  the 
Amazon. 

There  appears  to  be  no  other  explanation  for  this 
difference  in  the  color  of  rivers,  except  by  supposing 
that  they  take  their  hue  from  the  nature  of  the  soil 
through  which  these  channels  run. 

But  the  white  rivers,  as  the  Amazon  itself,  do  not 
appear  to  be  of  this  hue  merely  because  they  are 
"  muddy."  On  the  contrary,  they  derive  their  color, 
or  most  of  it,  from  some  impalpable  substance  held 
in  a  state  of  irreducible  solution.  This  is  proved 
from  the  fact,  that  even  when  these  waters  enter  a 
reservoir,  and  the  earthy  matter  is  allowed  to  settle, 
they  still  retain  the  same  tinge  of  yellowish  olive. 
There  are  some  white  rivers,  as  the  Rio  Branco, 
whose  waters  are  almost  as  white  as  milk  itself. 

The  blue  rivers  of  the  Amazon  valley  are  those 
with  clear  transparent  waters,  and  the  courses  of  these 
lie  through  rocky  countries,  where  there  is  little  or  no 
alluvium  to  render  them  turbid. 

The  black  streams  are  the  most  remarkable  of  all. 
These,  when  deep,  look  like  rivers  of  ink ;  and  when 
the  bottom  can  be  seen,  which  is  usually  a  sandy  one, 
the  sand  has  the  appearance  of  gold.  Even  when 
lifted  in  a  vessel,  the  water  retains  its  inky  tinge,  and 
resembles  that  which  may  be  found  in  the  pools  of 
peat  bogs.     It  is  a  general  supposition  in  South  Amer- 


358  THE    CLOSING    CHAPTER. 

icatbat  the  black-water  rivers  get  the'r  color  from  the 
extract  of  sarsaparilla  roots  growing  on  their  banks. 
It  is  possible  the  sarsaparilla  roots  may  have  some- 
thing to  do  with  it,  in  common  with  both  the  roots  and 
leaves  of  many  other  vegetables.  No  other  explana- 
tion has  yet  been  found  to  account  for  the  dark  color 
of  these  rivers,  except  the  decay  of  vegetable  sub- 
stances carried  in  their  current ;  and  it  is  a  fact,  that 
all  the  black-water  streams  run  through  the  most 
thickly-wooded  regions. 

A  curious  fact  may  be  mentioned  of  the  black  riv- 
ers ;  that  is,  that  mosquitoes  —  the  plague  of  tropical 
America  —  are  not  found  on  their  banks.  This  is  not 
only  a  curious,  but  important  fact,  and  might  be  suf- 
ficient to  determine  any  one  on  the  choice  of  a  settle- 
ment. You  may  deem  a  mosquito  a  very  small  thing, 
and  his  presence  a  trifling  annoyance.  Let  me  tell 
you  that  settlements  have  been  broken  up  and  de- 
serted on  account  of  the  persecution  experienced 
from  these  little  insects !  They  are  the  real  "  wild 
beasts"  of  South  America,  far  more  to  be  dreaded 
than  pumas,  or  crocodiles,  or  snakes,  or  even  tho 
fierce  jaguar  himself. 

Day  after  day  our  travellers  kept  on  their  course,  . 
meeting  with  many  incidents  and  adventures  —  too 
many  to  be  recorded  in  this  little  volume.  After 
passing  the  mouth  of  the  Rio  Negro,  they  began  to 
get  a  peep  now  and  then  of  high  land,  and  even 
mountains,  in  the  distance  ;  for  the  valley  of  the 
Amazon,  on  approaching  its  mouth,  assumes  a  differ- 
ent character  from  what  it  has  farther  up  stream. 
These    mountains    bend   towards    it   both    from    the 


THE  CLOSING  CHATTER.  359 

Brazilian  country  on  the  south,  and  from  Guia  la  on 
the  north,  and  these  are  often  visible  from  the  bosom 
of  the  stream  itself. 

It  was  about  a  month  from  their  entering  the 
main  stream  of  the  Amazon,  and  a  little  more  than 
two  frcjm  the  first  launching  of  their  vessel,  when  the 
halza  was  brought  alongside  the  wharf  of  Grand 
Para,  and  Don  Pablo  and  his  party  stepped  on  shore 
at  this  P>razilian  town.  Here,  of  course,  Don  Pablo 
was  a  free  man  —  free  to  go  where  he  pleased  —  free 
to  dispose  of  his  cargo  as  he  thought  best.  But  he 
did  not  dispose  of  it  at  Grand  Para.  A  better  plan 
presented  itself.  He  was  enabled  to  freight  part  of 
a  vessel  starting  for  New  York  ;  and  thither  he  went, 
taking  his  family  and  cargo  along  with  him.  In  New 
York  he  obtained  a  large  price  for  his  bark,  roots,  and 
beans  ;  in  fact,  when  all  were  disposed  of,  he  found 
himself  nearly  twenty  thousand  dollars  to  the  good. 
With  this  to  live  upon,  he  determined  to  remain  in  the 
great  republic  of  the  north  until  such  time  as  his  own 
dear  Peru  might  be  freed  from  the  Spanish  op- 
pressor. 

Ten  years  was  the  period  of  his  exile.  At  the 
end  of  that  time  the  Spanish  American  provinces 
struck  almost  simultaneously  for  liberty;  and  in  the 
ten  years'  struggle  that  followed,  not  only  Don  Pablo, 
but  Leon,  —  now  a  young  man,  —  bore  a  conspicuous 
part.  Both  fought  by  the  side  of  Bolivar  at  the  great 
battle  of  Junin,  which  crowned  the  patriot  army  with 
victory. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  of  independence,  Don 
Pablo  was   a   general    of  division,   while   Leon    had 


360  THE    CLOSING    CHAPTER.    * 

reached  the  grade  of  a  colonel.  But  as  soon  as  the 
fighting  was  over,  both  resigned  their  military  rank, 
as  they  were  men  who  did  not  believe  in  soldiering  as 
a  mere  profession.  In  fact,  they  regarded  it  as  an 
unbecoming  profession  in  time  of  peace  ;  and  in  this 
view  I  quite  agree  with  them. 

Don  Pablo  returned  to  his  studies  ;  but  Leon  organ- 
ized an  expedition  of  cascarilleros,  and  returned  to 
the  Montana,  where  for  many  years  he  employed 
himself  in  u  bark  hunting."  Through  this  he  became 
one  of  the  richest  of  Peruvian  "  ricos." 

Guapo,  who  at  this  time  did  not  look  a  year  older 
than  when  first  introduced,  was  as  tough  and  sinewy 
as  ever,  and  was  at  the  head  of  the  cascarilleros  ;  and 
many  a  coceada  did  Guapo  afterwards  enjoy  with  his 
mountain  friend  —  the  vaquero  —  while  passing  back- 
ward and  forward  between  Cuzco  and  the  Montana. 

Dona  Isidora  lived  for  a  long  period  an  ornament 
to  her  sex,  and  the  little  Leona  had  her  day  as  the 
"  belle  of  Cuzco." 

But  Leon  and  Leona  both  got  married  at  length  ; 
and  were  you  to  visit  Cuzco  at  the  present  time,  you 
might  see  several  little  Leons  and  Leonas,  with  round, 
black  eyes,  and  dark  waving  hair  —  all  of  them  de- 
scendants from  our  family  of 

"  Forest  Exiles." 


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